Releasing the stigma of mental illness

[nonconventional]

For those who have not yet heard this podcast this is a huge breakthrough to hear our medical fraternity researching & connecting the link between mental illness & autoimmune/antibodies- please share far & wide.

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07pj2pw

[shaws Administrator]

It is about time. as I believe thousands are treated for mental health issues by neglect of knowledge of clinical symptoms by the professionals, particularly about diseases of the thyroid gland and the clinical symptoms.

It is about time the TSH was only used as a guide and symptoms the priority.

I hope Dr Skinner's staff are able to find the funding to publish all of his Research.

[nonconventional in reply to shaws]

Agreed. I’ve waited for many years to hear this. Much of what I’ve gleaned from a layman’s perspective has come from the amazing people on this site and ‘stop the thyroid madness’ etc. I see significant changes on the horizon as people continue to connect over social media platforms that cannot be silenced.

[shaws Administrator in reply to nonconventional]

I agree with you also. Experience of the patients are the best judge of whether the 'rules' are correct or not and the insistence that blood tests should indicate (instead of being used as a guide) whether or not the patient should be prescribed hormones is faulty. Many are clearly hypo but not yet prescribed or dose is restricted. Thyroid hormones do not harm people. If we take too much, we'd soon reduce.

T4 alone does NOT suit all patients so varieties could be/should be offered. Never mind whether Big Pharma pays the professionals to prescribe levo alone (plus the extras for remaining symptoms) - it is the patients who should have the final say-so of what makes them well.

[marigold22]

Thanks for the link. I have listened to it. However, they are still talking about Drugs from Big Pharma. The immune system and inflammation can be corrected naturally without help from Big Pharma. It makes my blood boil

[nonconventional in reply to marigold22]

Marigold please share your suggestions for natural, especially inflammation. I know sugar, carbs etc are big culprits and need to be cut out. Exposure to sun for Vit D is a plus.

What I’ve realised too regarding autoimmune, is exposure to parasites through farm type areas, even malaria etc. Also exposure to pesticides can be a big trigger.

[marigold22 in reply to nonconventional]

nonconventional I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in 1981 but discovered myself via private blood test it's Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. So for 36 years I did not know I had thyroid antibodies and inflammation in my body.

Until late September 2017 I had severe mental health symptoms, was still planning my suicide in the summer of 2017, exhaustion, really bad brain fog, severe agoraphobia & a multitude of other chronic symptoms. Then I started eating differently on the advice of a particular type of Doctor – not an NHS doctor. He told me to eat a particular way which I have recently discovered is The Paleo Diet.

Also I increased my T3/liothyronine myself up to around 47mcg a day. I had been on 30 to 40 mcg a day as GP & endo insisted no increase due my TSH, FT4 & FT3 being 'within range'. They were horrendous. So the T3 increase sorted my thyroid; I'm presuming this way of eating sorted the inflammation.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I have explained the exact reasons why certain foods are cut out and certain foods are added in.

You cannot under any circumstances eat a takeaway, fast food, McD or any ready prepared food as you do not know what the manufacturer has put into it. They most likely will not be honest about what exactly is in it. It will take your body many days to recover and put your health back into serious jeopardy.

I don't call it a Diet - I call it a Special way of eating.

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IN A NUTSHELL

I CUT OUT :-

1). All grains

2). Most carbohydrates ( I do eat a small amount of white or sweet potatoes)

3). As much sugar as possible, keeping in mind that fruit contains sugar

4). Soy in any form.

I ADDED :-

Fats and cholesterol

Explanations

Grains CUT OUT

Grains are all a form of “grass” & our body has problems digesting it. Cows eat grass and have three stomachs to digest it. For humans to digest any of the grains, it takes energy and causes problems in our digestive system. This way of eating is about cutting out GRAINS, so even any type of gluten free bread is a big No No.

Carbohydrates and Sugar CUT OUT

Carbohydrates are :- Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, French fries, potato chips, porridge, muesli and so on. Wholegrain products are just less bad and are made of grains which are banned in this diet. Legumes, such as beans and lentils, are high in carbohydrates..

Carbohydrates and Sugars of all types spike the blood sugar up and the body has to work hard to get the blood sugar down again. If it has to continually work at reducing blood sugar, something will go wrong. …. …..insulin and cortisol - causing chronic illness.

Fruit also has a fair amount of sugar so I’m only allowed to eat a small amount (one piece a day maximum, or some berries). Bananas are very high in sugar - I eat a couple of small bananas a week

The above two – carbohydrates and sugar/fruit – diabetics will know to cut these out.

Soy CUT OUT

The Chinese did not eat unfermented soybeans as they did other legumes such as lentils because the soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients." First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of enzymes needed for protein digestion.

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Fats and CholesterolADD

Our brain is made of around 80% fat, therefore it needs good fats in order to function properly. The advice we were given to eat a low fat diet has caused a massive amount of depression and mental health symptoms in the population.

No doubt the pharmaceutical companies put that out so they could sell more anti-depressants, therefore more profits.

*******************************************************

Recommended to eat

Full fat milk from cows, double cream from cows (not long life rubbish), real butter (+ melted over veg and use to cook with), olive oil, cheese, cream cheese, eggs, meat including bacon (not sausages), oily fish (tinned mackerel is my favourite), white fish, PLAIN natural bio yoghurt, all vegetables (I make veg soup with a blender), all salad items, avocados, nuts (not salted or roasted), tinned prunes (delicious with cream!). There are other foods that are ok – eg seeds of any type, pulses, sauerkraut (which I’ve googled how to make & about to try making it), Hellmans mayonnaise, Bovril, cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate - it's 70% sugar) in warm milk, Lindt high cocoa chocolate slab, Not meant to eat potatoes as they are high carbohydrate (I have a little), also a small amount of sweet potato but all potatoes are carbohydrates which this diet forbids. On salad & veg, I use Hellmans full fat mayonnaise, olive oil, honey & mustard dressing.

It’s best to ‘graze’ with food, by eating maybe a handful of nuts or a piece of cheese if you are hungry. Your body is struggling if you start to feel hunger pangs - - it’s a message to your brain.

Example of one day’s meals & snacks ----

Breakfast : Hard boiled egg with cream cheese or Bacon & egg

Morning snack : Mug of warmed full fat milk & half an apple or Home made vegetable soup

Lunch : Tinned mackerel with any salad items (+ mayo)

or Handful of nuts + cottage cheese with tomatoes or any salad item

Afternoon snack : Bio yoghurt with cream mixed in + 3 prunes or a few defrosted raspberries

Supper : Chicken or any meat with mixture of vegetables with melted butter over veg

******************************************************

VITAMIN & MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

I also take vitamins and mineral supplements every day. After about 3 to 6 months, they can perhaps be dropped down to every other day, depending on how you are feeling.

(there is a really good reason why each and every one is included)……..

I take -

1.At least 1,000mg of Vitamin C a day as it heals, makes skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels; it repairs and maintains cartilage, bones and teeth, amongst other vital roles. Good for the skin, and keeps it youthful – who doesn’t want that ? 

2.Vitamin D3 which is called the Sunshine Vitamin – every person who lives in the Northern Hemisphere does not get enough sunshine to keep their vitamin D levels high enough. If vitamin D is low, mental health symptoms follow. Note : take vitamin D all through Autumn & Winter.

3.A good Multi B Vitamin Complex. There are 8 x B vitamins All the B vitamins are essential for the nervous system and keep our bodies running like well oiled machines, for energy, growth, quality of our blood. Low vitamin B12 will cause severe mental health type symptoms.

4.Magnesium for good nerve and muscle function. If, for example, you have a painful muscle in your leg, take extra magnesium.

5.Zinc for the immune system

6.Selenium fights inflammation, increases blood flow, prevents cell damage and assists the thyroid gland (we die without the thyroid gland but go insane first) to utilise thyroid hormone.

Good luck.

[nonconventional in reply to marigold22]

I totally agree and thanks for your in-depth sharing. I follow Prof Noakes Banting way of eating - the real meal revolution’. I’m on this site because I’m fighting for my Mum to understand how poorly she is and trying to get Doctors to understand.

I had goose bumps reading about your recovery. We need this to become more Public. I hope I’m on a Ted Talk stage one day with my Mum well again. Perhaps you could consider telling your story in this way 🙏🏼

[marigold22 in reply to nonconventional]

By the way, I have in fact previously written a post and replies with all this info in it. I do understand that we are all different but I got shouted down. I don't think it can be a fluke after 4 months of feeling magically like a different person. Good luck

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Interesting thanks for posting

Most or many with Hashimoto's we have poor gut function and dire vitamins, gluten intolerance and leaky gut

improving vitamins, gluten free and correct dose of Levo plus for some and/or Liothyronine

[marigold22]

SlowDragon I'm not trying to be clever here, but cutting out every single type of grain, not just going gluten free, helps the body to get rid of inflammation. Dr John Bergman explains in his Rheumatoid Arthritis video what happens to our grains before they are used in our food. In fact they are all poisoning us.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to marigold22]

I am not that strong willed

Giving up gluten, vitamin supplements and adding T3 has given me my life back

If I still couldn’t walk I would be seriously considering it, plus dairy too in all likelihood

But so far just these have been enough for myself to get better

[marigold22]

SlowDragon Many apologies for continuing this - but I am still endeavouring to help those at various stages of their illness. I was obviously a very severe case and needed to cut out all grains - not even one piece of gluten free bread - in order to get over my severe mental health symptoms & Hashi's inflammation. We are all different. Once again I am being shouted down. I am only trying to help those who continue to be very ill and continue to search for answers.

[nonconventional in reply to marigold22]

Don’t apologise - keep telling your story - the world needs to hear it xx

[marigold22 in reply to nonconventional]

Thank you nonconventional . There are some very strong characters on here, and I am constantly being shouted down. Apologies but I have honestly had enough of being bullied; I can now see exactly what people have done to me over the last 36 years when I was vulnerable. And they do not like it when I am telling the truth, and being assertive and trying my very hardest to help all these poor suffering people on this forum

[marigold22 in reply to nonconventional]

nonconventional Perhaps I should stand on stages around the UK and start charging for my information! Once again I am on the verge of being homeless, no capital, tiny government pension. Money is my last and final problem to overcome now.