Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, is an anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted worries and thoughts and repetitive, irrational behaviors. If your eating behaviors are affected by OCD, you may have difficulty eating particular foods or behaving normally at mealtime. The OCD may occur independently or with other disorders, such as anorexia or depression. In addition to psychotherapy and/or medications, a healthy dietary lifestyle may enhance your wellness and help reduce your symptoms.
Sugary Foods
Foods with added sugars should be avoided. People with OCD often have an "abnormal glucose metabolism," according to Fugen Neziroglu and Jose A Yaryura-Tobias, OCD specialists and authors of "Over and Over Again: Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder." In other words, your body may process and react to glucose -- energy derived from foods -- differently than those with a normal glucose response. For this reason, added sugars may cause blood sugar, energy and mood imbalances, which can make managing your condition difficult. To prevent this occurrence, limit or avoid foods and beverages rich in added sugars, such as regular soft drinks, candy, chocolates, pastries, pancake syrup, jelly, jam, frosting, sweetened coffee, sweetened fruit drinks and commercially prepared cookies, pies, cakes, muffins and ice cream.
Enriched Flour Products
Enriched flour is a refined carbohydrate source, meaning it digests more quickly than complex carbohydrate sources, such as whole grains. Enriched flour affects your blood sugar similarly to added sugars. Enriched flour products also typically contain fewer nutrients, fiber and protein than complex varieties. For improved blood sugar levels and, potentially, improved OCD symptoms, replace enriched breads, cereals, crackers and pasta with whole-grain equivalents most often. For best results, check nutrition labels on food packaging and avoid those that list enriched flour as a primary ingredient. Replacing enriched flour with whole-grain products in baked goods may also provide benefits.
Caffeinated Foods and Beverages
As a stimulant, caffeine can trigger mood swings and energy peaks and crashes. The University of Maryland Medical Center suggests avoiding caffeine if you have an anxiety disorder to avoid added restlessness. Caffeine-containing foods and beverages include coffee, espresso, black tea, regular and diet soft drinks, chocolate, energy drinks and various energy-boosting diet bars and products. Since decaffeinated coffee contains modest amounts of caffeine, choose water or herbal tea instead if you're particularly sensitive to caffeine. If you have difficulty sleeping, avoid caffeine-containing foods and beverages during late-afternoon and evening hours.
References
- "Over and Over Again: Understanding Obsessive Compulsive Disorder"; Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D., Jose A Yaryura-Tobias; 2002
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Anxiety
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