Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder that affects an individual’s speech, thinking ability, behavior, emotions, and other aspects of life. There is no cure for schizophrenia, but it can be well-managed if certain aspects of life are taken care of. One area that we are focusing on this post is food. Since people with schizophrenia tend to suffer from more mental health problems, knowing what type of foods can potentially trigger the symptoms is extremely important. Accordingly, here are foods that people with schizophrenia must avoid.

Wheat and barley

Some people have celiac disease, which prevents them from digesting gluten. Wheat and barley contain high amounts of gluten, and studies have found that consuming gluten can trigger the symptoms of schizophrenia in people with celiac disease. Regularly eating gluten-rich foods can also cause other mental health problems like anxiety, ADHD, depression, and autism. Doctors recommend replacing wheat and barley with fermented grains. These are pre-digested grains and do not impact one’s gut-brain system much, which helps prevent episodes of schizophrenia.

Bread and pasta

Bread and pasta are other gluten-rich foods that people with schizophrenia must avoid. Studies have shown that approximately 30% of people who have schizophrenia have large quantities of antibodies that work against wheat gluten. One’s best bet here is to find gluten-free substitutes for these foods. Many food stores and supermarkets today offer gluten-free products, including bread. These bread are prepared from rice or potato flour. Similarly, one can easily find pasta made from rice, corn, or quinoa. One must always make sure to check the label to confirm if the product is 100% gluten-free.

Processed foods

People who have a genetic predisposition toward schizophrenia must try to eat as much raw and natural foods as possible and avoid processed foods of any kind. Processed foods lack certain vital nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids. They can cause an imbalance in the nervous system, which can trigger the symptoms of schizophrenia and may even cause other mental health problems in some cases. Most diets today are high in omega-6 fatty acids. These are foods prepared with vegetable oils, like corn oil and soybean oil. So, one may want to cut down a little on processed foods and increase consumption of omega-3 found in fatty fish and fish oil.

Carbonated drinks

Researchers have found that there is a direct link between high levels of sugar consumption and the risk of developing mental health disorders like schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. Carbonated drinks are often loaded with sugar syrup and can aggravate the symptom of schizophrenia in some people. One may also want to avoid other artificial sweeteners and desserts, as they are known to exacerbate mental health problems.

Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine

These stimulants are infamous for raising the blood sugar levels and triggering a range of mental health problems like anxiety, depression, irritability, moodiness, and schizophrenia. It is recommended that people with schizophrenia replace coffee with herbal teas and avoid drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes.