4 ms·

For me, it was gluten. Switched to a gluten-free diet and the mental dog went away

m463 6y ago
Now it could actually be gluten, but fewer simple processed carbs like bread (and pasta) helps. With the pandemic I've had lots more dietary control and was more likely to notice what caused a certain effect. I've given up sugar and it helps tremendously. It takes a while. Also getting enough good sleep.
- tbalsam 6y ago
  Gluten, dairy, and corn for me. Turned out to be MCAS. Supposedly more common than people would expect (and yes, it's an actual ICD-10 disorder), but a total bear to diagnose as it's a diagnosis of exclusion and that's very expensive and a lot of time. I think a lot of people end up falling into the Candida/Naturopathic woo along the way due to the seemingly higher presence of provider empathy. Not that dysbiosis or supplements don't have a lot to do with helping some of the day to day, but it seems to be a downright strange obsession for some folks to the exclusion of actually treating the root of the symptoms (were it even possible, in some cases). I think your smack dab on the sugar and refined carbs stuff too. That seems like it'd be good for everybody. I know I might be in a slim and tiny minority here, but I'm definitely in favor of a sugar tax on foods with added sugars/raw sugar/sugary substitutes that are sugar under a different name (fructose, dextrose, etc...) by itself...
- wpietri 6y ago
  This is my experience too. I found that in the stress of the pandemic I was eating more and more comfort food. I did a reset where I cut back slowly to zero refined carbs (e.g., sugar, flour, juice), walked 10k steps per day, and then shifted to eTRF (stopping eating for the day in the early afternoon). My energy levels and mental clarity are hugely better. One thing I didn't expect is that the nature of hunger changed for me. I experience a lot less hunger now that I'm eating less and for a shorter portion of the day.
  - m463 6y ago
    eTRF - I didn't know that name. I listened to a Joe Rogan episode where he interviewed Dr Rhonda Patrick. She said if you ate strictly within 12 (or 10) hours you would have better muscle mass among other things. I see now she calls it time restricted eating. I tried it a few days but it was really hard, I felt cranky. But it seems like it works for you. Maybe I'll try again - there may be a hump to get over. When I first tried limiting carbs I would start roaming around the kitchen looking for something to munch on, but after a week or two that calmed down.
    - wpietri 6y ago
      I tried restricting to later hours, basically just lunch and dinner, but that made me super cranky by 11. But now I stop eating by 3 or so (and sometimes earlier) and it's fine. I did ease into it, with my last food 30-60 minutes earlier than the day before.

m463 6y ago

Now it could actually be gluten, but fewer simple processed carbs like bread (and pasta) helps. With the pandemic I've had lots more dietary control and was more likely to notice what caused a certain effect. I've given up sugar and it helps tremendously. It takes a while. Also getting enough good sleep.

tbalsam 6y ago
Gluten, dairy, and corn for me. Turned out to be MCAS. Supposedly more common than people would expect (and yes, it's an actual ICD-10 disorder), but a total bear to diagnose as it's a diagnosis of exclusion and that's very expensive and a lot of time. I think a lot of people end up falling into the Candida/Naturopathic woo along the way due to the seemingly higher presence of provider empathy. Not that dysbiosis or supplements don't have a lot to do with helping some of the day to day, but it seems to be a downright strange obsession for some folks to the exclusion of actually treating the root of the symptoms (were it even possible, in some cases). I think your smack dab on the sugar and refined carbs stuff too. That seems like it'd be good for everybody. I know I might be in a slim and tiny minority here, but I'm definitely in favor of a sugar tax on foods with added sugars/raw sugar/sugary substitutes that are sugar under a different name (fructose, dextrose, etc...) by itself...
wpietri 6y ago
This is my experience too. I found that in the stress of the pandemic I was eating more and more comfort food. I did a reset where I cut back slowly to zero refined carbs (e.g., sugar, flour, juice), walked 10k steps per day, and then shifted to eTRF (stopping eating for the day in the early afternoon). My energy levels and mental clarity are hugely better. One thing I didn't expect is that the nature of hunger changed for me. I experience a lot less hunger now that I'm eating less and for a shorter portion of the day.
- m463 6y ago
  eTRF - I didn't know that name. I listened to a Joe Rogan episode where he interviewed Dr Rhonda Patrick. She said if you ate strictly within 12 (or 10) hours you would have better muscle mass among other things. I see now she calls it time restricted eating. I tried it a few days but it was really hard, I felt cranky. But it seems like it works for you. Maybe I'll try again - there may be a hump to get over. When I first tried limiting carbs I would start roaming around the kitchen looking for something to munch on, but after a week or two that calmed down.
  - wpietri 6y ago
    I tried restricting to later hours, basically just lunch and dinner, but that made me super cranky by 11. But now I stop eating by 3 or so (and sometimes earlier) and it's fine. I did ease into it, with my last food 30-60 minutes earlier than the day before.