Sugar and OCD

Today, we're diving into a topic that may not be the first thing that you think about when you consider how to manage OCD, but it could have a surprising impact. We're talking about the connection between processed sugar, how well your brain works, and how well you're able to manage OCD. So let's dive in. 

Could Cutting Down on Sugar Help Manage OCD?

I'd like to speak to you today with an idea that's actually being explored in the laboratory, and that is could cutting down on your sugar make it easier to manage OCD. Now you already know that what you do affects how your brain works, right? You think different thoughts when you're tired, when you're angry, when you feel safe, when you feel unsafe. So we know that what happens inside and outside impacts our brains. Is cutting out refined sugar from your diet something that we know we've got evidence that it's gonna help you manage OCD more effectively?

No. But here's my thought. Anything that makes your brain work more effectively is gonna help you manage your brain more effectively. Right? We know that the gut is called the second brain.

It's actually lined with nerve cells that are found in the brain. Further, there is active communication between the brain and the gut through the vagus nerve, a part of the autonomic nervous system. So the brain and the gut are in constant communication with each other. What we also know is that inflammation is probably the final common pathway to pretty much any sort of health issue. And we know that sugar insights the inflammatory process.

How Reducing Sugar Might Help

When you eliminate sugar, you reduce inflammation. So here's a breakdown of how reducing sugar might help. The first is the connection between sugar and anxiety. So several studies have shown that a diet high in processed sugar can increase symptom of anxiety, depression, and stress, which often co occur with OCD. And we also know that stable blood sugar levels are essential for balanced energy and mood.

When blood sugar is stable, it supports better cognitive function and emotional regulation. For people with OCD, this stability can be crucial in managing intrusive thoughts and compulsions as blood sugar fluctuations can trigger the stress response. So while these connections suggest that reducing sugar could help manage OCD, It's important to note that more specific research is needed. I don't know about you, but I have a real problematic relationship with sugar. I love sugar.

What Happens When You Cut Out Sugar?

Once I have something sugary, I can feel my blood sugar spike, and then I can feel it crash. And what do I want? I want more sugar. So I get on this roller coaster. It doesn't feel very good, and I'm not really at my best.

So I decided for reasons that had nothing to do with OCD to give up sugar, and I was amazed at how differently I felt. Well, my blood sugar variations are within a more narrow range, and I can feel it in my body. But I noticed that everything works better when I'm off of processed sugar. Now if you try eliminating sugar, let's say tomorrow, are you gonna feel better the next day? No.

You're probably gonna feel worse. Your body is going to withdraw from sugar. But here's the good news. After a couple of days, the cravings start going away. Within a couple of weeks, I noticed some changes.

I noticed particularly my mood becoming more stable and my brain working better. And by a month, I feel so great that I wonder why in the world did do I eat sugar in the first place? But then here's what sometimes happens. There's a special event. And to celebrate, I'll just take that one little thing.

Practical Steps to Reducing Sugar

And you know what? When I go back on, I go back on the roller coaster. Abstinence is the best way for me to manage refined sugar. If you wanna give this a try, what action steps should you take? The first thing that you can do is cut out sugary drinks.

So replace the sugary drinks with water or tea. The second thing that you can do is think about how you start your day. Think about how you break your fast. You probably don't wanna break it by saying, hello, body. Here's a huge bolus of sugar.

So if you're eating sugary cereals, you might wanna consider having some eggs or maybe oatmeal with some berries on it. Next, you probably wanna think about when is it that I reach for my sugary thing? And maybe I can replace that sugary thing with something that's more helpful. Maybe some nuts or dried fruits or carrots and hummus. But you gotta be prepared because when your body tells you it wants sugar, it wants sugar.

Right? Last, if you fall off and you start eating sugar again for whatever reason, just hold your hand over your heart and say, oh, how human of me, And then try getting right back on it. Give it a try. If it feels right, let me know how it goes. Do you find any difference in your ability to manage OCD if you're an OCD warrior?

If you're the parent of somebody with OCD, do you find that it's easier for you to be the kind of parent that you want to be? Maybe you don't get as anxious. Maybe you don't get as worried. We know that if we can keep the sugar in your bloodstream in a more regulated zone, everything in your body does a better job of staying in balance. Now I just wanna be clear.

There is no extensive research specifically linking sugar reduction to easier management of OCD, but there's a growing body of evidence that suggests a connection between diet, sugar intake, and mental health in general. And that's what I've got for you today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I really appreciate your commitment to managing OCD. And if nobody has told you yet today, I honor your courage.

I think managing OCD is probably the single hardest thing I've ever done in my life. So thanks again. See you next time.