Hello all!  I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and invite you to ask any questions you may have regarding diet/food/nutrition and your health.  We generally know that food can affect our physical health, but it can also have a profound effect on how we feel!  So don’t be shy, if there is anything you might like to ask,  i’m here to help!  Best wishes Dr Nina Bailey

Hi Dr Bailey,
Here is a summary of my particular situation upon which I request for your advice:
1.I took anti-convulsants for 10 years and stopped.But I had then developed depression.
2.I have since then been on various types of anti-depressants for now 14 years.I am currently taking setraline 100mg & Cyproheptadine 4mg daily
3.I hate the feeling I have while on the drugs,yet the drugs have helped me cope with day to day life.
4.My doctor has tried to help me withdraw off the drugs but this has been futile for the 3 times he has tried.Hence,he can’t hear of me withdrawing anymore.He actually thinks that I may need the drugs for life.
5.I want to try out vegepa and filisa,sothat I can wean off the drugs.
Therefore my questions are as follows:
1.Will filisa&vegepa; work for me so as to withdraw off Sertraline100mg&Cyproheptadine; 4mg daily?
2.How much of each approximately do I need for the full taper program?
3.How long does it take for one to complete the taper program?
4.What do I reduce first:Sertraline or cyproheptadine?
5.Is it safe to begin the taper process immediately upon starting to take filisa&vegepa;?
7.After how much time of being on anti-depressants do you encourage someone to taper off?
8.Are there some patients advised to take the anti-depressants for life?
9.What is the probability that filisa&vegepa; will work,in my particular situation?

Thanks,
Trinah

Hi Trinah,

I think it’s very important to acknowledge that whilst anti-depressants don’t work for everyone, they can be very helpful in managing symptoms for many people.  However, it’s generally the side effects that people find hard to deal with. 

As I am not a GP, I can’t really advise you on reducing or stopping your antidepressant use as I don’t have that kind of expertise.  However, I know that people can and do come off antidepressants over time,  so please don’t feel that this pattern of use has to be life-long!

If you are using both Filisa and Vegepa I would advise you to carry on taking your antidepressants for at least three months before you consider reducing them (with the support of your GP or medical provider).  The dose of Filisa is 2 capsules twice daily with food.  The dose of Vegepa can be as high as 8 capsules for extreme symptoms, but combined with Filisa I would suggest 2 capsules twice daily, with food, should suffice.  Similarly with anti-depressants it can take up to 3 months to see effects/benefits of these supplements. However,  diet and lifestyle factors can also play a role in how quickly these supplements can work.  Try to avoid processed and/or heavily refined foods as these leach the body of vital nutrients needed by the body.  Alcohol and caffeine should be limited, and smoking is a big no-no!  Try to incorporate at least 5 portions of fresh fruit and veg into your diet, and two portions of fish if you can. 

I think it would be unfair to guarantee an instant ‘cure’, but In my experience many people have benefited from making dietary and lifestyle changes.  These changes not just effect mood but over all health, and combining with Filisa and Vegepa can make a huge impact on the severity of depressive symptoms.

I hope this helps, but please do feel free to ask more questions if you feel I can help.

Warm wishes
Nina Bailey

Hi Nina,

I would like your help please

Paul

Hi Paul,

I’m happy to help.  You can send me a private message or chat here?

Best wishes
Nina

Hi Nina

I look at ways to eat more healthy. On a tight budget

How are you? sorry I have not been in touch

Best wishes Paul

Hi, all, glad to meet u .

Hi everyone!

Many people are under the wrong impression that eating good nutritious food on a budget is difficult.  However, if you plan in advance and know your budget, it’s easier than you think!

Many supermarkets offer cheap packaged meals or food, however many types of ‘convenience’ foods are actually very expensive for what they are.  Cutting down on unhealthy food items such as ready meals, sweets, cakes, crisps and fizzy drinks will actually free up more money for healthier items.  Remember, many unhealthy food items offer little or no nutritional benefit and can actually deplete the body of essential nutrients. 

Buy fruit and vegetables loose rather than pre-packaged - remember that they are usually cheaper if they’re in season. Loose fruit and vegetables can be as little as half the price and look for supermarket deals such as buy one get one free offers on your normal purchases.  However the best value for money for fruit and vegetables are found at your local market, so don’t always rely on supermarkets.

Frozen fruit and vegetables can be much better value than buying fresh and are oftencheaper than fresh varieties. With frozen spinach, for example, you get exceptional value for money, in comparison with fresh spinach, which can be very expensive. Frozen vegetables may also offer more nutrients, because they are frozen within a very short time of being harvested. ‘Fresh’ vegetables, on the other hand, are sometimes transported thousands of miles, and aren’t always so fresh when you finally eat them.

Stock up on canned fruit and vegetables. They count towards your 5-A-DAY and won’t go off, so you can buy them in bulk.  Buy those canned without added salt or sugar. Supermarket own-brand varieties are usually the cheapest.

Buy those canned without added salt or sugar. Supermarket own-brand varieties are usually the cheapest.  Get organised and try meal planning so that you when you go shopping, you can write a list and buy only what you need. We can spend a lot of our precious budget on ‘impulse’ purchases because supermarkets are very clever at making us spend more than we want! This also helps to avoid supermarket promotions, which are seldom related to good foods and often only encourage spending. Shopping with a friend can be a good idea, if you do want to take advantage of the healthier of the ‘buy one get one free’ offers!

Whilst organic meat is the healthiest option when choosing a protein source, pulses and soy products can be much cheaper and healthier than meat, and also offer many additional nutrients not found in meat.  Organic meat is also expensive and so eating meat only a couple of times a week can help reduce the cost.  Try to eat fish twice a week as a meat ‘replacement’.  Try cooking in bulk and freezing portions for when you don’t feel like cooking. Remember it doesn’t have to be expensive to eat well, in order to look after not only your brain, but your whole body. Eating the right foods can improve memory, concentration and energy levels, as well as improve sleep patterns.
Best wishes
Nina

Hello

What is your view of detox diets? Not the extreme diets, but I came across one that suggested cutting out caffeine, wheat, sugar and dairy (as opposed to those that say live on water and lettuce for a month lol!).

Thanks
Glynis

Hi Nina,

My (frankly wonderful) fiancee suffers from Irritable Bowel Syndrome for the past four, maybe five years, and the weight has plummeted off him. He is now 5"10’ and weighs 9 stone. While I think he looks fantastic, he has serious body hangups- especially about how “thin” he is. He wants to put a little bit more weight on but finds it hard with suffering from IBS- is there anything you can suggest?

Thanks,
Mikey xxx

Hi Glynis,

I’m not so sure i would call them ‘detox’ diets, but avoiding, or giving your body a break from certain food groups that we know can irritate our gut linings is a good thing.  Various products, including allergens and toxins in food, as well as certain drugs can damage the gut lining, causing it to become inflamed and to “leak,” allowing undigested food and bacteria to slip into our bloodstreams.  This can lead to autoimmune disorders, malnutrition, and a myriad of health problems.
By avoiding wheat and dairy you are avoiding gluten and casein, both known allergens and the cause of gut issues in many (but not all) people. 
Do avoid refined sugar!!  Originally, sugar was processed by boiling the cane juice and harvesting the crystals left behind.  While they were rich in calories, they also provided essential nutrients including protein, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.  We now refine sugars, stripping out the majority of these nutrients leaving sugar as a energy dense nutrient that has no nutritional value.  It acts as a catalyst for any ‘bad’ bacteria or yeast (such as candida) which then grow out of control.  Candidia is a classic example of why we should avoid refined sugar this yeast gives off toxins that can cause irritability, foggy head, itchy skin, fatigue and can add to depression symptoms.
Caffeine is worth avoiding as it can cause irritability, fatigue and also add to depression symptoms.  It blocks the actions of a compound called ‘adenosine’ which is involved in energy systems and the sleep cycle.  It also inhibits the actions of several enzymes in the body, especially one called delta-6 desaturase which is key in making the long chain omega-3 fatty acid EPA, itself a natural antidepressant.
I think our bodies do very well to send signals that indicate how good a food is for us.  When we eat heavily processed foods, it can leave us feeling sluggish, tired and down.  In contrast fresh fruits and vegetables can energise us as well lift our mood!

Best wishes
Nina

Dear Mikey,

His BMI is just over 18, which does indicate that he is underweight for his height.  Surprisingly however, while malnutrition is very rare in cases of IBS, sufferers tend to attribute their symptoms on specific meals which can lead to increasingly restrictive and nutritionally imbalanced meals and this may go towards explaining some of his weight loss.  In other words, it may be that his weight loss is attributed more to under eating than to the than his symptoms.  Also have all other gut issues that may explain such weight loss been rule out (such as celiac disease)?

Certainly, knowing how to manage his symptoms is key to being able to maintain a healthy weight.  Many people with IBS find that increasing their intake of soluble fibre helps, as it absorbs excess fluids forming a gel which then bulks out faeces and can therefore help to reduce diarrhoea.  On the other hand, it can help relieve constipation by softening and pushing through any impacted faecal matter.  I generally recommend a product called Benefibre, which can be included into the diet very easily.

In order for him to gain weight, he simply needs to consume more calories than you he is currently taking in every day. It may be advisable to keep a food diary to track just how many calories he is eating daily.  The website http://nutritiondata.self.com/ is very helpful and allows you to calculate the nutritional value of hundreds of different foods/meals. 

Stress also plays a large part in triggering IBS symptoms.  Combining nutrition with stress relieving exercises can help.  This article may also be of interest to you.  http://www.drninabailey.com/irritable-bowel-syndrome-serotonin-levels-and-the-role-of-diet/
Best wishes
Nina