(10-03-2013, 04:23 PM)mat422 Wrote: [ -> ]Been a while since I posted. I've been focusing a lot on my physical health lately. Often I make the mistake of assuming something is purely mental and tie my brain in a knot trying to figure it out.
Anyway, I've cut gluten out of my diet. So no wheat, rye, or barley. It's only been a couple of days but my thinking is much clearer and my depression hasn't been as bad. Also not as fatigued all the time.
Now I don't know if I have a gluten sensitivity or if this is celiacs disease. But there's something going on here. If my stomach lining is damaged from all these years of eating gluten then it's gonna take a while to repair. Something interesting I found was that serotonin is produced largely in the gut, so if your stomach is messed up it could definitely lead to depression.
Basically I'm doing all I can to track down the origin of all this. Whether mental or physical I'm determined to fix it. I pretty much refuse to believe that this can't be cured or that it can only be remedied with anti-depressants. The side effects from those things are enough to put me off from them.
Good to hear, on all fronts.
I too have cut gluten out of my diet and went a step further to cut all grains (save for oats, corn, maybe a few others, but no bread or grains that make bread, wheat, rye, etc) and yeah, it does a world of good.
I heard the human body isn't well equipped to digest grains, which is why the sudden shift after cutting it.
Just wait for a month to hit, you'll never go back, honestly.
Also, try to cut dairy as well, same thing. Both steps I took on the advice of my trainer at the gym and the guy has been studying kynesiology(sp?) for like 5 years, maybe more. He knows a TON about the body.
I highly doubt you have celiacs, like I said, wheat and all that just f*cks with your body.
I'd also recommend matcha tea (though make sure you get enough calories to handle that one. It spikes your metabolism, but you should be able to feel the change and be able to eat enough to level out.) but it's a bit expensive.
While I'm at it, I'll add my recommendations for a sound mind and body:
- Remove ALL grains from your diet, or as much as can be done.
Grains (especially bread) have an interesting effect on the body, in my experience. The literally make you FEEL full, so you assume you've had enough to eat. But, if you try a non-grain diet for 30 days, you will find (as I did) that you feel SATISFIED without them.
This is a HUGE difference. Grains (I would speculate) are a cheap way to feed the masses without REALLY feeding them, you know? Kinda like "yeah well, they gotta eat something, otherwise they'll freak out."
It is my opinion that grains (like many things in life) are a substitute for something else. In this case: real, satisfying meals.
Don't believe me, try a no-grain diet for 30 days, no cheating, then go back. If you don't notice a difference, you get your money back.
- Remove all DAIRY from your diet.
Same thing here. I don't know what it is, but dairy is just plain bad. Which sucks because I LOVE me a good pizza, and I do occasionally indulge now and again, but I still know that both grains and dairy are better avoided.
- Only eat non-processed foods, the human body (in my opinion) was not meant to eat chemical warfare. I avoid these foods as much as I can, and feel better for it.
- Rarely drink alcohol (if you must, drink wine, or limit use). This one's obvious, if you want to have a productive life, stay sober. That and beer is fattening.
- No porn (if you must, limit use). Can't explain this one, but porn affects the mind. It makes you jittery and apathetic, among other things. I try to limit my use because I do enjoy it, but I also recognize the ill-effects.
- No masturbation (if you must, limit use). This is a big one. Masturbation depletes your energy. I don't care to speculate on what "kind" of energy it is, and I'm not going to go all new-age nor Buddhist, but it is a fact (in my experience, at least) that masturbation brings you down, and makes it harder to gain momentum in your life. It's almost like hitting a reset button in which your drive, creativity, and passion goes back to zero.
- Do Natural Grounding! This one is huge, believe me. I still cannot figure out why it works, but it does. It frees up your mind, takes some of the weight off and lets you just be calm and relaxed. Be wary, though, NG usually calms you to the point of becoming non-Alpha and apathetic, so balance it with something.
Either balance it with one of the AM programs, or with an intense drive towards a goal during your day. I usually only watch one NG video in the morning and it's enough to subtly influence my day in a very calm and relaxed manner, without depleting my passion or drive which seems to happen when I watch more than one. So, despite the good benefits, limit use.
- Drink Matcha Tea. There are simply too many benefits of this super-food to list here, if you want more info, google it.
- Work out! Aside from boosting testosterone and forcing you to be around people, it gives you a good mini-quest to put your energy towards.
Anyhow, that's about it. Can't think of any more ATM.
Just had to put this down, because I think it's important.
That is all.