Schizophrenia is a disease of the brain and it is a chronic mental condition that is recognized by healthcare providers and scientists around the world. In general, schizophrenia is regarded as a progressive disorder, which can present with a wide variety of psychological symptoms, including hallucinations, changes in behavior, delusions and difficulty concentrating. Doctors describe schizophrenia as a psychotic illness, which means that some people may struggle to identify the difference between their internal thoughts and reality.
What exactly causes schizophrenia remains unknown at this time, however many experts believe that the condition may be encouraged by a range of environmental and genetic factors. Most people believe that certain things may make you more vulnerable to developing schizophrenia, and certain things can trigger the problem.
If you, or someone that you care about suffers from schizophrenia, then you will know how difficult it is to deal with this mental illness. Thus, you may find it useful to learn about some schizophrenia trigger foods which can make the condition worse.
Schizophrenia Trigger Foods:
1. Carbonated drinks full of sugary syrup are particularly dangerous for people with schizophrenia. Psychiatric researcher Malcolm Peet found that there is a strong connection between high levels of sugar consumption and the risk of suffering from schizophrenia and depression.
2. Pasta is another type of food to avoid as it is one of the schizophrenia trigger foods. Researchers suggest that gluten-rich foods such as this can help to trigger this condition in people who already have a genetic predisposition to it.
3. Milk and yogurt can also have a negative impact with regards to schizophrenia. Sometimes, ignoring dairy products in your diet entirely can help to reduce symptoms such as mental fogginess and trouble with concentration.
4. Bread is full of gluten, and more than 30% of people who suffer with schizophrenia have high amounts of antibodies that work against wheat gluten in their bodies. Switching to a gluten-free diet can help to reduce the symptoms of mental conditions.
5. Dried fruit contains about 81% sugar. Sugar suppresses the activity of a key hormone within the brain known as BDNF. This growth hormone promotes the maintenance and health of certain neurons in the brain, as well as plays a vital role in memory function. BDNF levels are typically quite low in people with depression and schizophrenia.
6. Processed foods can cause nutritional deficiencies, which lead to an imbalance within the nervous system. People who have a predisposition towards schizophrenia should attempt to eat mostly natural foods, and stay away from refined and processed products.
7. Wheat and barley are packed with gluten, and therefore are a bad choice in food for anyone who may suffer from schizophrenia. Some fermented grains, however, can be a better choice, as pre-digested grains may not have an impact on the gut-brain system.
8. Stimulants like alcohol, caffeine and nicotine can cause spikes in level of blood sugar and can trigger problems with irritability and moodiness.
9. Fish, seeds, and nuts are essential to people with schizophrenia. Any diet that avoids these foods can trigger symptoms and make the condition far worse.