Nutrition and the Mind 1568580215

Citation preview

Nutrition 1

AND THE"

Mind Alzheimer's

Alcoholism

Anxiety Disorders Behavioral Problems in

Children

Candidiasis

Chronic Fatigue

Depression

Eating Disorders Allergies

Food

Heavy Metal

Toxicity

Hypoglycemia

PMS

Schizophrenia

Thyroid Disorders

Gary

...

and others

Null.ph.d.

Digitized by the Internet Archive in

2012

http://archive.org/details/nutritionmindOOnull

Nutrition and the Mind

By Gary Null, Ph. D.

FOUR WALLS EIGHT WINDOWS New York

§

London

A Four Walls

Eight

Windows

First Edition.

All rights reserved.

This book

is

not intended to replace the services of a physician.

recommendations

Any

pages is at the readers discretion. The reader should consult with his or her own physician concerning the recommendations made in this book. application of the

©

set forth in the following

1995 by Gary Null, Ph.D.

Printed in the United States of America.

Except

permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means or stored in a data base or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the publisher. as

publication

Four Walls Eight Windows 39 W. 14th

New 10

Interior design

#503 York, N.Y. 10011 Street,

9876

by Morgan

5

4321

Brilliant.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Null, Gary.

Nutrition and the p.

mind / by Gary

Null,

cm. Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-56858-021-5 1.

3.

Mental Mental

:

illness

RC455.4.N8N85 1995 616.89'

1— dc20

$14.95

— Nutritional — Diet

illness

aspects. 2.

Orthomolecular therapy

therapy. 4. Behavioral toxicology.

I.

Title.

94-46982

CIP

1

Table of Contents Preface

vii

Introduction:

The Promise of Vitamin Therapy

(Orthomolecular Psychiatry)

1

Paying for the Care

9

Disorders of Mood or Behavior

1

1.

Alcoholism

2.

Alzheimer's Disease

17

3.

Anxiety Disorders

24

4.

Depression (Unipolar Disorder)

28

"Bob:"

A

13

Personal Account of Alcoholism

15

44

Depression and Tobacco Effect of Exercise, Nutrition, and Proper on Depression

Lifestyle

45

Eating Disorders

48

Anorexia and Bulimia

48

Food Addiction

50

6.

Insomnia

53

7.

Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder)

56

8.

Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior

60

9.

Schizophrenia

65

Schizophrenia and Alcoholism

75

5.

"Howard:" 10.

A

Personal Account of Schizophrenia

76

77

Tardive Dyskinesia

in

Nutrition and the

Mind

Organic Conditions Commonly Misdiagnosed as Mental Disease Blood Sugar

11.

"William:"

A

Instability

(Hypoglycemia)

Personal Account of Hypoglycemia

83

87 90

Candidiasis

12.

81

"Ellen," "Cynthia," "Nancy," "Bob,"

and

"Jack:"

Personal Accounts of Candidiasis

97

13.

Chronic Fatigue

105

14.

Hormone Imbalance

111

15.

Nutrient Imbalances in the Body and Brain

114

16.

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

121

17.

Thyroid Disorders

125

"Jenny" and "Helen:" Personal Accounts of

137

Thyroiditis

Nutritional

and Environmental Influences on

Mental States

143

18.

Diet-Related Disorder

145

19.

Food

148

20.

Heavy Metal

21.

Chemicals and Other Environmental Factors

Allergies

Toxicity

Contributing to Mental Conditions "Betty:"

A

153

166

Personal Account of Environmental

171

Toxicity

Behavioral, Affective, and Mental Disorders in

175

Children 22.

"Brittany:" 23.

177

Aggression

A

Personal Account of Aggression

Attention Deficit Disorders "Tim:"

A

180 183

Personal Account of Attention Deficit

184

Disorder

i\

rable

ofC ontents

24.

1SS tism

25.

191

193

26.

Chronic Depression

202

27.

Food

205

Allergies

"Alison:"

28.

A

Personal Account of

Food

Allergies

Hyperactivity

216 220

Appendix: Scientific Article Summaries,

by Subject

231

Aggression

232

Alcoholism

234

Alzheimer's

251

Anorexia

258

Anxiety

258

Autism

260

BiPolar Disorder

262

Bulimia

266

Candida

267

Dementia

268

Depression

269

Eating Disorders

271

Hyperkinesis

272

Insomnia

273

Learning Disorders and Dyslexia

276

Organic Mental Disorders

277

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)

281

Schizophrenia

284

Biographies and Addresses of the Physicians

287

Index

295

Preface It is

that

a

estimated by the National Institute of Mental Health

more than 40

million Americans are affected by any one of

number of mental and emotional

affect the quality of their lives.

conditions that adversely

These include depression,

schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, and autism, as well as other conditions,

which, while they may not

fall strictly

under

the rubric of "mental illness," have a mental component,

e.g.,

fatigue, insomnia, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder,

eating disorders,

When

PMS,

alcoholism, and aggressive behavior.

you consider that probably an additional 50 million

people suffer from intermittent bouts of one or a number of these conditions, then you can see that close to one third of the entire

American population is personally grappling with mental

health concerns. Yet despite the extent of mental disorders, the American

medical establishment has paid

little

attention to causes, so intent

are they on obtaining the relief of the

symptoms

conditions. Take alcoholism, for instance.

There are dozens of

of these

studies showing that alcoholics are chronically deficient in certain essential nutrients.

Other studies show that when these nutrients

are given at optimal levels, the chemical imbalances that precipitate the craving for alcohol are diminished or eliminated,

vn

— \l TRITION

\\l)

THE MlND

thus biochemically breaking the addictive response. think that the medical establishment

would

at least

One would attempt to

address the ramifications of these studies in the approaches to

treatment that are currently favored. But they have not done Currently,

many

tens of billion dollars are being spent yearly

so.

on

drug and alcohol treatments, of which the vast majority ignore nutrition-based approaches. Since few of the now-prevalent

approaches have been shown to be successful, that nutrition-based approaches continue to

margins.

We

need

to look at the fact that

imbalances are corrected and chemical

it is

worrisome

be relegated

to the

when biochemical

sensitivities addressed,

the treatments work, and with a lack of relapse. This

of cause-and-prevention oriented approach

is

the kind

we should be

encouraging, for alcoholism and other problems. It is I

in

an attempt to help encourage such an approach that

put together

this

book. In

it,

25 of Americas leading

holistic

physicians explore their experience in dealing with various mental

health conditions, and patients describe their experience as well. I've

interviewed nearly 500 individuals in depth

—

psychiatrists,

psychologists, behaviorists, neuropsychoimmunologists, and

environmental medicine experts, among others.

Some

of these

people have particular areas of specialization, such as autism, alcoholism, or fatigue.

By the

way, fatigue, or lack of energy,

more people and yet

condition that probably affects

attention than any other. Fatigue

syndrome, but simple fatigue behavior,

and is a

—

— not

is

a

receives less

just chronic fatigue

affects peoples' attitudes

and

common factor in depression, bipolar disorder,

and insomnia. After interviewing the experts in a variety of fields,

remarkable to see I

rcat incut

it

was

how many used similar treatment modalities

with vitamin

C

or the B complex vitamins, for

VIII

Preface

example

—and

to see also that their therapeutic approaches

certain elements in common, such as cleansing the

through

diet,

had

body of toxins

and rebalancing the body through the use of herbs,

botanicals, nutrients,

and proper

diet. It

should be noted that

all

of the treatment modalities mentioned in the following material

have been proven successful. In addition to interviewing hundreds of clinicians getting input from over 3,000 patients

—

I've

— and

reviewed thousands

of articles and abstracts in scientific peer-reviewed journals in

preparing this material. I've included summaries of some of these articles in

can see

an appendix to

that, yes,

book

this

we do have

so that interested readers

a scientific basis

when we

claim

that nutritional deficiencies play a role in precipitating the

biochemical imbalances that lead to a variety of conditions, and that, yes, nutritional

treatment does have

scientifically

proven

value in alleviating these conditions.

Concerning the

phenomenon

scientific literature,

America today.

in

we have

an interesting

We have thousands of articles in

peer-reviewed journals clearly demonstrating that nutrition will affect either the cause or treatment

different diseases. It

is

estimated that up to 90 percent of

diseases could be eliminated nutrition plays.

why have

—or the prevention —of

if

we understood

Now that we have the

the role that

evidence, the question

is,

the medical community, the educational community;

and the media not advocated that we implement

One

all

of the problems

is

that

it?

once a physician has been

trained in a particular area of specialization in a particular way, for that physician to relinquish his or her mind-set

a

new paradigm

of knowledge

is

and embrace

not an easy process. Even with

the best of intentions for their patients' well-being, doctors will

continue to use modalities that have been outmoded, or that

IX

\i rmi io\ \\n the

Mind

have been shown to be of no benefit, or that are actually harmful, for the

simple reason that one uses what one knows. Examples

abound: radical mastectomies, hysterectomies, Cesarean operations, coronary bypass operations, electroconvulsive therapy,

and Thorazine.

All

have been associated with devastating

side effects, high mortality rates, or chronic abuses,

the preferred treatment modalities for

many

exist nontoxic, successful alternatives to all

and yet are

physicians.

There

of these that are being

ignored by the medical establishment, although the scientific basis

is

now there

to

more than justify

a fundamental change in

treatment modalities toward nutrition-based approaches.

We

must

also consider the

power and influence of the

pharmaceutical industry and of the various medical technology industries.

These would stand

1.3 trillion dollars, year in

to lose a substantial part of the

and year out,

that our national sickness

care system costs the American public.

change

its

Were

the public to

perspective on the nature of acceptable treatment

and begin demanding nontoxic therapies, that cash cow would be no more. Despite the forces defending the medical status quo, change is

happening. There are some physicians

handful out of the 600,000 in the U.S.

—

albeit a relative

—who are using the

therapies referred to in this book. These physicians are

American health

revolutionizing

care.

There

is

also a

growing

segment of the public becoming aware of these nontoxic therapies. But the impact of these

beginning to be This book

felt in

will, I

new

forces

It

enormous

costs of

only just

mainstream America.

hope, greatly expand the reach of this

was written with the idea of helping

medicine.

is

new

to ease the

mental health care, both nationally and to

individuals, both economically

and emotionally, across the nation.

Preface

The answers

are here.

their implementation,

The challenge

which

for the future rests in

will require diligence

on the part

of the media, a focused legislative process, and a committed

medical community, working in unison to see that these answers are given proper attention.

—Gary

XI

Null

Nutrition and the Mind

Introduction:

The Promise of Vitamin Therapy (Orthomoleclolar Psychiatry) Orthomolecular medicine and orthomolecular psychiatry are

now

over a quarter of a century old, having started with Dr.

Linus Pauling's 1968

article in

Science Magazine called

"Orthomolecular Psychiatry." As Dr. Philip Hodes explains,

"'Orthomolecular' means the right amount of the right nutrients.

.

.

.

Thanks

to Dr.

Roger Williams's concept of

'biochemical individuality,' and Dr. Bernard Rimland's concept

of 'toximolecular brains,'

we found

that

many people with

so-called mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, autism,

depression, and manic-depression, can be helped, in a majority

of cases. They must

first

clean the toxins out of the brain and

then provide the brain with the right amounts of the right nutrients.

"Each person

is

biochemically individual," Dr. Hodes

continues, "so the government standards for the

requirements of various nutrients actually have

on the to

specific

minimum

little if any

daily

bearing

needs of any particular human being. What seems

be a mega-amount

for

one person

is

the precise

necessary to keep another person healthy and sane."

amount

\i

wn

ikii io\

the Mind

Psychiatrist will

Michael Schachter says that most psychiatrists

consider the possibility of a chemical imbalance in the brain

as well as

any psychosocial

factors. In the

former case, they then

immediately resort to using some kind of drug to try to right the balance, without looking into the possibility that there could be nutritional factors contributing to the patients psychological state. "I

by

explore possible imbalances in the body that could be caused

and other environmental, nonpsychosocial

nutritional

be playing a

that might

role in the

factors

development of psychological

symptoms. For instance, they don't bother inquiring how much sugar a person

They do look

is

eating, or

at alcohol

how much coffee someone is drinking.

consumption, especially

if

it's

excessive,

but most psychiatrists are unaware that sometimes even small

amounts can be a problem."

Whenever

possible, Dr. Schachter prefers nutrition-based

therapies. "I use nutritional substances or substances that are

natural to the body, either food substances or accessory food factors

— such

as vitamins or minerals or

amino

acids

—

as the

treatment of choice for a person s mental disorder. Sometimes the vitamins

may be megadoses because

a person

may be what

we call vitamin-dependent on a particular nutrient. For example, some children who

are hyperactive or having learning disorders

will

respond to one vitamin, for instance vitamin Bj (thiamine),

and

actually might get

vitamin find

worse

B 6 So treatment .

what seems

to

if

you give them large doses of

really has to

be most

be individualized.

I

try to

effective for that particular child's or

adults condition."

Hand

in

hand with the nutrition-based approach,

Schachter looks closely at the in

Dr.

clinical ecological factors: the foods

the person's current diet, the water he or she drinks, the air he

or she breathes, any imbalances in the body, as well as any daily-

Introduction

life habits.

"For example,

I

check for hormonal imbalances or

subtle low-thyroid conditions, which are very depression. If these are treated, there will often be

common

in

marked mood

improvement. Calcium and magnesium deficiencies are very

common

as precipitators for anxiety in general or

By

attacks.

correcting

some of these

even panic

nutrient imbalances, you

can reduce tremendously the chances of a person having panic

Then,

attacks.

improvement,

would

everything else

if I

would use psychotropic drugs

keep them

try to

not sufficient to bring about

is

at

if I

had

to,

the lowest possible dose and

I

but

I

would

use nutrients and other dietary supplements to minimize their side effects."

In 1955, Dr. a

paper

in

Abram Hoffer and several colleagues published

which they showed that nicotinic acid lowered

cholesterol levels but that you

had

was a major step forward because

needed

large

to

it

amounts of a vitamin

be a vitamin deficiency

known

to give 3,000

be

a

disease.

mg per day.

This

proved that you sometimes

for a condition not

known

to

High blood cholesterol was not

vitamin deficiency disease. The term

"orthomolecular" was developed by Dr. Linus Pauling

as

was based upon

his

presented in his paper in Science in 1968.

It

recognition that certain vitamins are effective when they are used in large quantities.

At that time, the conventional wisdom was

still

vitamins only in tiny amounts and you only needed

that

you used

them

for the

prevention of deficiency diseases, like scurvy or beriberi. nutritionist

accepted the fact that

if you

had scurvy you would

A

eat

oranges or you would take small quantities of vitamin C. As Dr.

Hoffer puts

it,

"It

was unheard of to give someone a thousand

mg

of vitamin C. If you suggested this they would throw up their hands

— Nutrition and the Mind

The

in horror.

idea that you could use large quantities of vitamins

to treat conditions, not just to prevent

forward. In fact,

it is

them, was a major step

considered a major paradigm change.

'This was the beginning of the contemporary model, which is

you need large quantities of vitamins

that in certain cases

treat conditions that are not

For example,

in a recent

assumed

Harvard

to

be vitamin

to

deficiencies.

study, over 100,000 subjects

were given vitamin E. The study found a 40 percent reduction in their

coronary

rate.

No one

upon coronary disease

looks

vitamin deficiency and yet substantial quantities of vitamin

—are very

thev used 100 I.U. a day

paradigm

in

effective.

which we use vitamins

we

So

are

as a

E

now in

a

as treatment, not just as

prevention." Dr. Hoffer emphasizes this

development

in his clinical

approach. "Orthomolecular psychiatry and medicine was the

major movement to adopt

means This

is

that

is vital. I

time on their I

when we have

this

a sick patient,

diet.

depressed patient

What

I

will

use anticonvulsants;

I'll

use analgesics. But

we have

will

spent some

use tranquilizers;

use antidepressants; if

they're suffering

that's

the appropriate nutrients. nutrients currently in use. patient begins to respond, are able to maintain

I

not

It

all.

it

correct their diet.

We also use any drugs that have to be used.

I'll

tiny

we

don't talk to any patient until

have a schizophrenic patient

we

treatment paradigm.

first

if

if I

If

have a

they're epileptic

and

in a lot of pain,

In addition to that

we

use

can be any one of the 20 or 30

We

combine them

all.

When

the

we gradually withdraw the drugs until

them on the

nutrients alone or

amount that it doesn't interfere with 'Orthomolecular medicine

is

on such a

their ability to function.

the appropriate use of

molecules, nutrients, which are native to the body in the appropriate concentration at the appropriate time.

Introduction

T

don't like the term 'alternative.'

I

think, rather, that

we

are going back to our historical roots. If you go back 100 years

we had no treatment except nutritional treatment. For 2000 years the best doctors in the world always emphasized good nutrition,

but over the past hundred years nutrition suddenly disappeared

from medicine. We're

"And not of medicine

is

just bringing

it

back again.

just us. I'm delighted to say that the

moving very, very quickly in this

seen The Wellness Letter from Berkeley

tremendous change

in their attitude

field

direction. If you've lately,

there

is

a

from a couple of years ago

when

they were totally against vitamins.

them

to the skies. This

is

whole

Now

a fantastic change.

I

they're extolling

consider that

we

are the mainstream of medicine, even though most doctors don't

yet recognize

it.

My

colleagues in psychiatry are

still

ten years

out of date. That's because of the natural conservatism of the profession

combined with the

training in biochemistry

fact that they

have had the

least

and physiology of all physicians and thus

they are the least likely to look upon the body as a physiological

organism. They look upon psychosocial problems as primary

when,

in fact, in

many

cases they are secondary.

The American

—including Canada, and including the of Mental Health — has taken a very strong

psychiatric establishment

National Institute

position against the use of vitamins in psychiatry

and have yet

to

reverse their position, because they're slow learners."

Dr. Garry Vickar believes that "Doctors have a tendency to to anything other than

what they read

in their

close their

minds

literature."

He suggests that there are ways to help your physician

be a part of the healing process. "The name of the game better.

You

can't

make people want

them and say, 'You guys are

all

to treat

you

if

is

getting

you come

at

wrong. You don't know what you're

\'i

doing.* Doctors is

Mind

tuition \\n the

want

to

be helpful, but how you approach them

important.

"Medicines have not been perfect. But without medicines, things are often worse. So lets

of medications up to a point. I

think

it's

I

assume we have

to look at the role

think you have to have a framework.

important not to become so radical that you

'Medicines are no good; they're dangerous

say,

the time and

all

inherently bad.' That's not true. Medicines are not always bad any

more than nutritional supplements are always good, because people can be harmed from inappropriately using nutritional supplements, especially herbs that have pharmacological effects in certain doses. "I don't is

a time

oppose the use of medications, but

when you have

when you

start to see

I

do think there

to look towards reducing medications

some

benefit and perhaps enhancing the

benefit of the medicine by the addition of vitamins and other

supplements.

"My evaluations include making sure that the patients have thorough physical examinations. There are standard blood that are

done by every doctor. They involve

produce blood function,

because

cells,

and so on. it's

not at

and screens

I test

all

tests

tests

of the ability to

for liver function, kidney

rather routinely for thyroid functioning

uncommon

to pick

up

a low thyroid as a

cause of depression. "I don't

do a

lot

of the fancy allergy testing.

six-hour glucose tolerance

exam on my

I

do

patients

cooperate. If they simply refuse to consider that,

them on proper

diet

—eliminating

the empty-calorie foods.

And

sugar, caffeine,

of course

I

try to get a

I

if they'll

do

instruct

and a

lot

of

discourage smoking

and alcohol, but those are pretty fundamental things that every doctor should be doing.

"People

who

are mentally

ill

don't usually eat well.

I

think

Introduction

it's

very difficult to bring anyone to any level of positive well-

being

when

they're not healthy."

According to Dr. Richard Kunin, people tend to have ideas

about health habits that are too generalized. "Before Linus Pauling and the word 'orthomolecular,' most people thought they

were

in the avant-garde if

most people are their fat

still

they took a multivitamin. These days

proud of themselves

if

they cut

down on

consumption and increase their complex carbohydrates

and their intake of high-fiber foods. That seems nutritional prescription that

orthomolecular approach respect, goes

beyond

is

to

be the

our current consensus. But the

that, as a doctor, I

have learned to

a 'one-size-fits-all' prescription

and looks

instead to a person's individual needs as the basis for treatment. "I

test

have adapted a strategy that allows people a chance to

themselves where diet

needs,'" Dr.

is

Kunin continues.

concerned in order to identify their "I call that test

the 'Listen To Your

Body Diet,' which I wrote about in my book Meganutrition years

The bottom

ago.

line

is

own

that people find their

particular

food favorites and their own particular dietary balance, especially relative to carbohydrates. Usually, however, like

it's

a blanket thing,

avoid sugars or increase complex carbohydrates. That leaves

a lot

unanswered

until

"Whenever we also test the

people go for some specific

test vitamin levels,

enzymes

we go

tests.

a step further and

that the vitamins couple with to ultimately

We

make

the body chemistry work.

large

numbers of the people who come

see

marked

deficiencies in

to see us.

Remember,

they are coming to the doctor because they feel something

is

wrong. The odds of something being wrong, therefore, are 100 percent. But

we

catch only about 70 to 80 percent.

"Regarding toxicology and allergy or immunology, there

Nutrition \\n the Mind have been great advances.

1968 or 1970 the hair

I

the toxicology side, since about

have done a screening

we

test for toxins that

call

possible to screen every patient for mercury,

test. It is

lead, arsenic,

On

aluminum, cadmium,

and get an accurate

nickel,

picture of the environmental input into the individual s overall health.

The test was, unfortunately, unfairly criticized by the AM A

and

not used nearly as

is

much

nickel-afflicted are likely to

radical generator

and a

as

it

be more

should be. Those allergic.

Nickel

who

are

a free-

is

sensitizer of the first rank. People with

nickel-tainted hair tend to have nickel in their dental alloys or fillings.

Nickel

is

mercury, which that kids wear,

even more is

sinister

also a sensitizer.

than the more well-publicized

There

nickel in the braces

is

and they can pick up nickel

in their systems that

way.

"How do we test today if a person is, to apples or to the sprays that are

pesticides or chemicals?

for example, sensitive

used on them, that

low

cost.

to

Some immunology labs are now offering

remarkably helpful testing for chemical relatively

is,

sensitivities for a

For about $200 you can get tested

for seven

or eight of the major solvents and chemicals, such as benzene

and others

that people haven't

heard too

much

about. There are

also plans to include the dioxins in this screening.

These

tests

are a very helpful marker for environmental exposure. In addition,

IGG4 and IGE testing can be done in tandem, in which a person is

tested for a sample of food, chemical, and inhalant allergies by

identifying antibody responses in the blood tests basis, thus bringing the price

on an automated

way down. These

tests

make

it

possible to get a powerful overview of toxicities and allergic

responses inside a particular patient.

"Doctors

who

don't test their patients for toxicities and

allergens are getting a limited view of their patients," Dr.

Kunin

Introduction

them

concludes. "This can lead

to rely

on treating symptoms

with major tranquilizers, antihistamines, or other nonspecific therapies, rather than treating the source of an individual patient s

problems."

Paying for the Care According to Dr. Vickar, information about orthomolecular psychiatry

is

available to people

who

seek

it

out.

But once the

question becomes affording the treatment, there are obstacles.

"Health care has become a are

bound by the

policy, you're

political

and economic

issue. If

you

restrictions of the standard insurance industry

going to have one devil of a time finding places to

get this treatment covered. If you want to get into any kind of alternative health care program,

you have

to go outside of your

regular health care.

"For the average individual have to buy health insurance

—which includes most of us who

—most insurance

psychiatric treatment to begin with,

will barely

and most insurance

cover

certainly

won't routinely cover the use of vitamins and mineral supplements, which can become quite expensive.

It's

of going out from time to time to buy a One-a-Day to

not a matter

pill.

be using a large enough amount of vitamins

pharmacologic expenses for

effect. You're talking

many people,

so

it

You have

to

have a

about unreimbursible

becomes very expensive.

"There are areas in the country where people

will

be given

greater access to complementary medicine. Perhaps California

has that kind of mind-set where people think nothing of

Complementary medicine

is

more

it.

limited in other parts of the

country.

"We also have the problem that some products are no longer

Nutrition \\n the

Mind

available, for instance tryptophan,

a

which was, and still is,

marvelous substance for people with

alcoholism, and histories of drug abuse.

United

States.

appearance

at

The

It's

mood

off the

I

believe,

disorders,

market

in the

FDA has forbidden its use, on account of the

one point of a tainted batch of the substance, even

though the tainted tryptophan was isolated to a specific lab

in

Japan. "I

think removing tryptophan from the marketplace has

been disastrous

for many,

many

patients because

it

valuable, safe treatment. It certainly affected a large

mood

disorder patients,

many

removed

a

number of

of whom were sleeping fine with

the help of tryptophan."

Another barrier

to the inclusion of

orthomolecular

psychiatry by standard insurance has been the paucity of doubleblind studies.

The money to fund such studies is not forthcoming,

since there tends to be far less profit in vitamin therapies than in

drug therapies. As Dr. Vickar notes, "Abram Hoffer did the very first

double-blind study in psychiatry and then they criticized

him

for not having

10

done double-blind

studies!"

Disorders of Mood or Behavior

L

Jllcoholimn According

to Dr.

Robert Atkins, alcoholism

with carbohydrate metabolism that

it is

fair to

"genetically superimposable." In other words,

is

so tied in

say they are

it is

possible to

understand alcoholism in terms of carbohydrate metabolism alone. This

is

an extremely radical assertion, but one that lends

important insight into a problem that plagues our society

"I

have seen families in which half of the members were alcoholics

and the other half were sugarholics," says Dr. Atkins. "And you could switch them over. You could probably make alcoholics of the people that were addicted to sugar, and that

when

it is

well

known

alcoholics go through a psychologically based

program, and not a biochemically based program, they have a

tendency

to

become sugar

ex-alcoholics not to

individuals replace

addicts." In fact,

become sugar

one addiction

addicts.

it is

More commonly,

for the other.

"Unless people get the clue that there

is

unusual for

As Atkins notes:

a connection

between

alcoholism and sugar addiction, they will just go from one to

another and will not feel any better. The phrase 'dry drunks' refers to

what happens

to alcoholics that start switching to sugar

13

wd

Nutrition

the Mind

instead of getting on a diet in which

the simple sugars are

all

eliminated."'

awareness can make

Clearly, in such situations nutritional all

the difference and Dr. Atkins considers

component

of

a necessary

any successful alcoholism program: "Of course,

nutritional support

chromium,

it

zinc,

is

also important. Minerals, such as

and manganese, are

regulating this sort of problem. Dr.

all

very important in

Abram Hoffer also believes

approach: "The general regimen that

in the nutritional

orthomolecular medicine uses for alcohol addiction depression, schizophrenia, and a disorders)

is

to

number

pay careful attention

with

(as

of other mental

to nutrition

and the use of

the right supplements.

"The

make

first

order of business." Dr. Hoffer continues,

sure that the individual's basic diet

is

by trying to take away most of the additives

on a

dailv basis. It

is

impossible to get

optimal.

in

them

all

all

sugar contain a large variety of other chemicals.

you

will cut

we

are

all

to

do that

food he or she eats out. but

do the best we can. One of the best simple rules patient on a sugar- free diet, because almost

We

"is

is

we

try to

to put the

foods that contain

By avoiding sugar

out most additives, by about 80 or 90 percent. Since

individuals,

and many of us have food

allergies

and

can't tolerate large quantities of carbohvdrates or protein, for

example, each one of us has to develop a diet that

is

optimal for

ourselves.

"Second,

we add

particular individual.

in the

supplements that are right for

Many of us have been

proper supplements over our lifetime diet,

we cannot

supplements. This

that,

so deprived of these

even with a very good

regain our health. That's is

where the treatment

differs

why we need markedly from

person to person and depending upon whether someone I

I

1

this

is

being

— Alcoholi sin

treated for alcoholism, or a mental illness such as depression or schizophrenia). So while the dietary regimen for

all

— avoid

sugar and any foods that

largely the

is

make you

supplements are determined on a case-by-case

"For alcoholism the basic treatment

Anonymous. first

showed

Bill

starts

when you added

sick

basis.

with Alcoholics

W., the cofounder of Alcoholics

that

same

Anonymous,

niacin to the treatment of

alcoholism you got a major response that vou did not see

number

before. Today, there are a large

of very good

alcoholism treatment programs in the United States, where

they depend primarily on a combination of the type of nutrition that

I

have just referred

the use of the right

to,

supplements, and the use of AA and other social aids to help these patients get well."

A Personal Account of Alcoholism

"Bob:"

"lam a recovered alcoholic.

It's

been about seven

years that I've been off alcohol. At first. I ate a

sugar

in cakes

and

things like that.

lot

One of

of

the

psychological-emotional components of my behavior

was that

I always

had a

very difficult time getting

started in the morning. The first thing I would think

about when

I got

up was what

I

was going

to eat.

which usually included cereal with sugar apastiy.

and sugar-laden

coffee.

progressive bettering of

There has been a slow,

my

diet,

but there has

still

always been the sugar craving. Sometimes I would be able but

it

to

get

away from it for a week or two

would always creep back

'Recently. I

weeks.

in.

completed a seven-day fast

and a

colonic cleansing and Ifound that after that cleansing

15

"

Nl mi HON AND THE

MlND

process the craving pretty

wake up

in the

don have 't

because I

am

this

am

much

disappeared. Also, I

morning feeling rather

compulsion

staying

alert,

to eat sweets. I

away from

and I

think that

sugar, I generally

having better days psychologically.

2. JH&heimer's Disease As the

life

expectancy of both

men and women

continues

to increase, Alzheimer's disease, an only partially understood illness involving deterioration

function, has

And yet,

become an issue

as the

it is

different

Dr.

numbers of people.

Roy L. Walford, among

possible to age in years while remaining

functionally younger through

somewhat

for increasing

work of gerontologist

others, has shown,

is

of brain matter and loss of brain

enhanced nutrition and

from the

typical

Western

a diet that

diet relying

heavily on meat, dairy products, processed foods, and heaping servings. His

most recent book, The Anti-Aging Plan, takes

starting point the diet it

as its

developed inside Biosphere 2 and adapts

to the less rigid daily-life habits of Americans, to

a low-calorie life-style that appears

come up with

manageable and

satisfying.

In studies in mice, nutrient-rich caloric limitation diets largely

eliminated age-related slowdown in rate of learning and in

memory

utilization.

Dr. Philip

Hodes has developed

a 14-step checklist of

approaches he has found helpful in the treatment of Alzheimer's patients:

17

\l TRITION \M) THE

1.

MlND

Avoid or eliminate any sources of aluminum

exposure: aluminum cookware, utensils, or

underarm deodorants; drinking water and any and drinks packaged

in

foil,

juices

aluminum-lined cartons. Cut

out those vitamins as well as bottled water packaged in bottles 2.

with aluminum across the top.

Undergo

a brain

and body detoxification

program, which should include a supervised

"Now

fast.

don't attempt to detoxify on your own," Dr.

Hodes warns. "You must have practitioners

who

and experienced attempt

it

holistic physicians or

are knowledgeable, competent,

in these practices,

because

if

you

on your own you may come up with some

upsetting surprises."

Raw

juice therapy helps flush out the toxins

supplies

enzymes

as well as

and

raw vitamins and minerals.

Colonic irrigation will help clean out the colon of years of accumulated putrefaction and helps the body function properly. Drinking distilled water, at least in the beginning

or for part of the treatment,

is

also beneficial, along with

the use of herbal noncaffeinated teas. 3.

Have

remove, dental

in

a practitioner of biological dentistry

proper sequence, your silver-mercury

amalgam

who wrote

fillings

from your teeth.

Tom Warren,

Beating Alzheimer's, emphasized the

importance of this procedure. 4.

Bio-oxidative therapies are very effective in

bringing oxygen into the brain to increase the individual's ability to think.

We

live in

an external

environment with only 19 percent oxygen, when should contain 38 percent oxygen, so we

18

all

suffer

it

from

Alzheimer's Disease

oxygen insufficiency. Bio-oxidative therapies include hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy, ozone therapy,

and hydrogen peroxide therapy, among

others. Also,

superoxide dismutase, dimethylglycine, organic-

germanium-132, glutathione peroxidase, homozone, vitamin E, aerobic exercising, and deep breathing in a relatively pure

environment can be helpful. The

herbs gingko biloba and butchers broom are very beneficial. 5.

The

antioxidants,

are beneficial also.

which work on the

They

brain,

include: vitamin A, beta

carotene, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, B 12 folic acid,

,

para-amino-benzoic acid (PABA), biotin,

choline and inositol, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin P,

the bioflavinoids (such as quercetin, hesperiden

and pycnogenol), vitamin N, acetyl cysteine, acetyl carnitine, the sulfur-containing

amino acids

L-cysteine and L-methionine, and the enzymes

such

as

co-enzyme Q10, bromelain, papain and

pancreatic enzymes. 6.

EDTA

intravenously,

metals,

chelation is

therapy,

performed

very good for removing the heavy toxic

which include

lead,

cadmium,

arsenic, nickel,

copper, iron, mercury, and aluminum.

A

special

chelating agent, desoxyferramine, works well, specifically as 7.

an aluminum-chelating agent.

Homeopathic remedies

aluminum from the body and the Dr. Hodes.

"Then you have

will also

remove

brain, according to

to take orthomolecular

nutritional therapy, intravenously or with intramuscular

19

— \'i

ikition

wn

the Mind

shots, along with oral

Dr.

8.

made

a

Hodes

supplements of all the nutrients."

credits clinical ecologists with having

major contribution

when

with Alzheimer's disease

importance of four to diets.

five

in the

treatment of people

they recognized the

day diversified food-rotation

In a food-rotation diet, you eat a variety of foods

and no one food more than once or twice

a

week

thus eliminating the food allergens to which you are

The

generally "addicted."

rotation diet also lightens

immune

the load on your

system. You should also

eliminate alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, sugar, and foods that are refined, processed, or filled with chemicals

and

artificial

and

colorings

dyes. Replace

natural, organically grown, pesticide-free

and whole 9.

them with

wholesome

foods.

Biomagnetic and electromagnetic pulse therapies

are also valuable. Diapulse,

magnatherm, biofeedback,

acupuncture, and ear acupuncture (auricular therapy)

can also be 10. Dr.

other, less

tried.

Hodes

also notes the existence of several

widespread approaches that are

available,

involving nutrient substances that increase brain function:

An

Israeli

AL721, which was

egg yolk lecithin substance,

originally

used to give energy and

reduce cholesterol in elderly people, and also was

used to combat

You might

HIV and AIDS,

try Dr.

Asian's treatment called

Gerovital

(GH3) and

illegal in

America but available

countries.

There

is

also

phosphatidylcholine.

20

Ana

also helps the brain.

live cell therapy,

which are

in certain

other

something called super-triple-

Alzheimer's Disease

Dr.

Hodes

adds: "There are supplement companies

which manufacture brain formulas, which are composed of various amino

acids,

enzymes, vitamins,

minerals, and herbs. Niacin, or vitamin

because

B3

,

is

helpful

opens up the blood vessels and brings

it

nutrients, blood, oxygen,

and other nutrients

to the

brain. Mineral baths, consisting of sodium, potassium,

and magnesium, which seep into our bodies through the pores of the skin, are also helpful." 11.

"Herbal remedies are also beneficial: Schussler

Bach flower remedies, and homeopathic

cell salts,

remedies." 12.

"Developmental/behavioral optometric vision

therapy for improved visualization, perception, cognition, 13.

and memory

efficiency."

"Cranial, sacro-occipital technic, applied

kinesiology,

and network chiropractic and osteopathic

care will improve the efficiency of the flow of the nerve

supply and increase oxygen and blood carrying nutrients to the brain." 14. Finally, Dr.

Hodes

maintains: "Since the brain

of an Alzheimer's patient shrinks, it

we have to rehydrate

with pure water, eight to ten glasses

about

six

months

to

compensate

daily. It

takes

for the shrinkage."

Dr. Michael Schachter describes his approach in dealing

with Alzheimer's patients showing signs of senile dementia: "In the case of dementia,

some

my

approach

nutrients that the person

improved quite injectable

B

a bit

is

may

on a program

to see

need. in

vitamins and magnesium.

whether there are

Some people have

which they received

Some

of these elderly

people have difficulty absorbing vitamins and minerals simply

21

Nutrition and the Mind

because of long-term chronic deficiencies, so an injectable

program becomes very

"One of the

helpful.

things

first

I

do

give

is

them

a trial of

some

vitamins and minerals by injection and often that will be very helpful to the patient. In addition,

magnesium

I

have been using disodium-

EDTA chelation therapy because by using disodium

EDTA with magnesium we find that we're able to reverse some of the aging processes by removing calcium from soft tissues,

where

doesn't belong, and trying to get

it

where

it

it

back into the bone,

does belong. The chelation process, which

is

an

intravenous treatment, will help with soft tissue decalcification,

removing heavy metals.

in addition to

"There

some research

is

relating

aluminum

toxicity to

Alzheimer's disease," Dr. Schachter adds. "Dr. Crapper

McClaughlin has done some work

in

Canada, and

we have been

who

doing some work recently too, with patients

suffer

from

dementia using another chelating agent called Deferoxamine or Desferal, which

aluminum is

a

primarily useful in removing iron and

is

—but not calcium—from the body.

Usually,

dementia

one-way street; people tend to get worse and worse. By using

this chelation process,

some

patients have at least

dementia process slowed down or stopped patients have even

had

for awhile.

their

Some

improved a little using a combination program

some of these

of supplements, a good diet, and the removal of

heavy metals with chelating agents." Dr.

Hodes recommends the following books to obtain a more

comprehensive picture of Alzheimer's disease and Dr. Michael Weiner's

Day. 1987); Drs. Nutrients: Senility

22

I

1

to

Walker's Smart

Nutrients that can Prevent

994 andNutrients )

treatment:

Reducing the Risks ofAlzheimer's (Stein and

Abram Hoffer and Morton

A Guide

\\ ery,

its

to

Age Without

and Reverse

Senility (Keats,

Alzheimer's Disease 1980); Ross Peltons

Drags that Increase 1986);

Mind Food and Smart Intelligence

Pills:

Nutrients and

and Prevent Brain Aging (T&R,

Tom Warrens Beating Alzheimer's: The Case for Unlocking

Brain Disease, Alzheimer's to Schizophrenia and Other Chronic Diseases (Washington, 1988).

23

3. Jlnxiety IHsorders Anxiety disorders, including agoraphobia, claustrophobia, panic attacks, In

many

etc.

often occur in people with prominent allergies.

cases there

is

also a diet-related

poor diet and/or poor absorption

element relating

in the colon.

to

Programs that

address what are otherwise usually considered psychological and/ or biochemical problems nutritionally have

met with much

on naturally occurring

success, as have treatments relying substances.

According to Dr. Allan Spreen, anxiety disorders

will

respond to treatment by certain natural substances. The advantages of treatment with natural substances can be numerous

and

substantial:

by freeing people from having to take more

toxic

medication, the holistic approach can also spare the patient the medication's side effects, as well as the extra expense.

amino

acids,

when

"Some

given individually," says Dr. Spreen, "in some

cases can be very effective in calming

down

the

symptoms of

anxietv disorders and panic attacks. For example, tryptophan,

which

is

no longer available, was used

there was a problem with

as a sleeping agent, until

some batches of it being contaminated,

24

Anxiety Disorders

which caused a syndrome that wasn't related but to the contaminant.

and

to the tryptophan

Some doctors use tyrosine for depression

The 'DL' form of phenylalanine

anxiety.

often used on a

is

short-term basis for depression and can be very effective correctly

It

be no

much cheaper

'up'

many

suppressant for to

given

can lessen anxiety and depression in people by giving

them more of an

seems

if

mood. Phenylalanine

an appetite

also

is

people. If they're given correctly there

amino

toxicity associated with

acids

and they're

than antidepressants or anti-anxiety prescription

medications."

my

Dr. Walt Stoll has a different approach: "In

experience,

I

have found that emotional disorders are often linked

to the inability to completely

digestive process, into their

acids

still

break down proteins, during the

amino acids.

hooked together

Just three or four

immune

antibodies against them. Since our body

can attack

hooked together us.

to

make

a part of the body.

is

system to make also

is

Many

made up

of

proteins, these antibodies

To an antibody, a peptide is a peptide.

doesn't matter whether the peptide

or

amino

(peptides), if they get through the

intestinal lining, can stimulate the

peptides,

clinical

came from

It

frequently

outside the

body

of the chronic diseases, which

presently are so baffling to the allopathic disease philosophy of

conventional Western medicine, are related to

now being found

to

be

auto-immune processes.

"In addition," Dr. Stoll adds, "some of these peptides have

been found

to

be identical to certain brain hormones

(endorphins) that are associated with panic attacks, depression,

manic depression, schizophrenia, and other conditions. In these cases

the first

—with more certain

immune system

to

to

be discovered

—there

be involved; the effect

is

is

no need

direct.

for

The two

examples to be discovered were peptides from imperfectly

25

Nutrition and the Mind digested casein (milk protein) and gluten (wheat protein).

commonly eaten

course, these are the two most

Of

foods in our

culture! "All of the

mental states

listed

above are

at least partially

caused by brain chemistry abnormalities. Generally,

who have

already tried

many different

therapies.

I

see patients

These patients

come with stacks and stacks of records documenting that nothing seems

to

have worked

in spite of

every imaginable test having

been done and every imaginable treatment having been

tried.

Psychoactive drugs have either worked poorly or have even

caused the problem to worsen due to the side effects exceeding the benefits.

"Since every other conceivable cause has been ruled out by the time

I

get to see them,

have not been evaluated.

I

am

One

free to look for the things that

of the

first

things

well the lining of their intestinal tract protects

environment.

I

I

look for

is

them from

how their

frequently find that either they don't have the

normal bacterial balance

in the colon or that they

beyond that stage

to having candidiasis.

from our control

if

have gone

Candida can only escape

the normal bacteria are not in control. If

Candida has converted from the normal yeast form into the disease-causing fungal form,

the leakage of peptides

is

it

further

much

damages the lining so that

greater.

"The greater the amount of peptide leakage, the more likely it is

that the brain will interpret these protein particles as being

identical to the endorphins

it

produces during panic attacks,

depression, etc. This same leakage increasing sensitivities

we

is

see in patients

responsible for the

who

environmental substances other than foods. in

most cases, to correct the leakage than

substance. But

26

why

not do both?

are sensitive to

It is

it is

much

simpler,

to eliminate the

Anxiety Disorders

"Once the reason usually sees dramatic

for the leakage

improvement

is

corrected, the patient

in a very short time.

antibodies involved only last for 72 hours.

Once

the leakage

stopped completely, symptoms lessen substantially days;

and

The

in just a

just reduction of the leakage helps. There are

is

few

many

patients today that have had that kind of experience.

Not

everyone's mental symptoms are caused by poorly digested food

playing tricks on the brain. However, in

my experience,

most commonly missed diagnosis and one that

is

it is

the

relatively easy

to resolve."

Dr. Michael Schachter emphasizes the importance of proper diet: "If

clean

you suffer from an anxiety

up your

diet.

magnesium works.

disorder,

you

really

need

to

Getting off sugar and taking calcium and Also, balancing the stresses in your

life,

through meditation and other anxiety-reducing disciplines,

is

important."

27

4. Depression (Unipolar

Disorder) Depression it

affects

is

an extremely

common problem

in

America;

people of all backgrounds. There are different degrees

of depression, and its treatment has varied considerably according to trends in psychiatry, psychology,

and psychopharmacology

in

recent decades, and depending on the severity of the condition.

Some

of us

call

it

"depression"

when we

are struck by

feelings of mild sadness, of the kind that affect nearly everyone

from time

to time, often for

no obvious reason we can put our

fingers on. Certain times of the year are associated with

lows, particularly at the beginning

Commonly, when someone

we

lose a job or have

will

close to us

for example.

moves away or

mood

be some sadness, perhaps some

drag on lor a longer period of time, or

we may begin

there's

reaction in almost everybody. grief.

Usually such

periods of sadness or grief are of a limited duration.

profound,

dies, or if

some other major disappointment,

apt to be an even stronger

There

and end of winter,

mood

When

they

become much more

to speak of clinical depression.

The causes of depression may include 28

genetic factors. As

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) Dr. William

Goldwag explains, "These may be

in the brain

metabolism and the nervous system.

related to changes

We know about We see what

genetic factors through the action of certain drugs.

chemical changes take place. Obviously our individual chemistry is

to a great extent

determined by our genes. There are genes

presently under investigation that are believed to be responsible for manic-depression-type illnesses, in

which one fluctuates from

hyperactivity to depression or limited activity. Every day another

gene

is

being found that is responsible for some of these

The gene It's

illnesses.

expresses itself through a change in chemistry."

common

for

depressed people to have a family history

of depression. In addition to the genetic factor, such family

may

histories

also

be due

to

common

environmental

factors,

shared experiences in depressed families, and poor eating habits that are passed

on from one generation

to another.

Environmental factors may play multiple roles among the causes of depression. For example, being raised in a family in

which one or more people are depressed may often be associated with poor nutrition. As Dr. William Goldwag reminds

us, "J us ^

being exposed to depressed people can be an influence, since children learn

how to behave by imitation.

are eating the

same

food,

and

if,

Also, family

for instance, the

members mother

depressed and cooking and serving her family, that food

be sparse

in nutrients since she

meal over with and has prepare

is

is

is

apt to

interested in just getting the

difficulty finding

enough energy

to

it."

Being abused physically or verbally can be another factor that inhibits children of depressed parents.

abuse the child as a

As a way of handling

may withdraw and become depressed and inactive

defense against very harsh treatment from the parent.

As Dr. Doris Rapp describes

it,

mood disorders often lead 29

Mind

Nutrition and the

to battering of family

members and intimates: "Husbands batter

wives, wives batter husbands, they both batter the children, girlfriends.

Mother

common. Many of the

children

and boyfriends batter their might add,

is

very

and pinch their mothers.

kick, bruise, bite,

individuals have typical allergies

they have a

and angry.

mood problem,

All

ask

I

is,

help find the cause

I

they can

become

When some illness, if

nasty and irritable

eat, touch,

try to discover

I

treat beat,

and environmental

'What did you

I

battering,

and smell?' To

whether the change

in

behavior occurs inside or outside, after eating, or after smelling a chemical.

It

might be a food, dust, mold, pollens, or chemicals,

which not only As a

affect the brain, but discrete areas of the brain.

result, the allergen or

make you

tired or, if

you behave

in

it

food or chemical exposure might

affects the frontal lobes,

an inappropriate way.

It

it

might make

could affect the speech

center of the brain so that you speak too rapidly, or unclearly, or stutter, or don't speak intelligently.

It's

area of the brain or body will be affected to

something

to

which you are

just potluck as to

when you

what

are exposed

allergic."

In the not-so-distant past, before drug therapy

became

popular, severe depression was treated through hospitalization,

electroshock therapy, and even insulin shock therapy. Dr.

Goldwag describes the reasoning behind such extreme measures: "The idea was that somehow or other when you shock the brain it

shakes things up.

seemed

to almost get

A

lot

of the disturbed thought processes

blanked out, and you could sort of start

all

over again with an individual. "Psychotherapy, of course, has always been popular," adds Dr.

Goldwag. "That can range from

supportive friend or relative to psychiatrist or psychologist."

30

just the

presence of a close,

more in-depth treatment with

a

Depression (Unipolar Disorder)

Perhaps most importantly, when depression mild, there

is

much

relatively

is

the individual can do on his or her own.

According to Dr. Goldwag: "There are many, many things that

do

individuals can

what can we do

to help themselves.

nutritionally

and

What we want

in other

to ask

ways? What

lifestyle

under our own control that we can manipulate

factors are

is,

in

order to alleviate symptoms of depression or prevent them?"

Three of the most important areas where answers

to that

question can be found by the individual himself or herself are exercise, interaction with others,

Exercise

and

nutrition.

one of the most profound

is

aids in the treatment

of depression, according to Dr. Goldwag: "One of the major errors

and therapists

in the thinking of patients

is

order to be active you have to feel better. This to

the notion that in is

exactly contrary

what we are recommending.

"We recommend comes

later.

that

you do

and then the feeling

first,

In other words, you must do what you have to do

regardless of

how you

feel.

This aids in feeling better. You can't

wait until you feel good and then do something, because in

may

depression that

You want

take days, weeks, months, or even years.

to accelerate the process.

"Those of us

who exercise

just didn't feel like

everything.

it.

That's the

regularly have

had days when we

way depressed people

feel

about

They just don't feel like it. They don't have the energy,

the motivation, the stimulation to go and do even the ordinary things.

When

it's

severe, the person

may

not even have the will

or desire to get out of bed in the morning.

"The exercise may just getting out

consist of very, very simple things, like

and walking, getting up and doing some simple

movements, some mild

movement

that gets the

calisthenics, any kind of physical

body

in action.

For some people

just

31

Nutrition and the Mind getting out of

bed and getting dressed

That may be the "It is

dressed.

a big accomplishment.

is

first step.

important for depressed people to get up and get

They should not walk around

nightgowns because

and the bed means

this

in the

pajamas or

maintains that connection to the bed

inactivity. That's

the thing you're trying to

overcome. Exercise may take the form of walking, walking the

dog perhaps, or going outside to do some simple gardening. These are that

all is

very important for overcoming that feeling of lassitude so characteristic of depression.

"Another benefit of exercise

Even doing

a

is

a feeling of accomplishment.

make you

of exercise will

little bit

more

feel

energized later on. Finishing an exercise routine, even one fatiguing, after a brief period of rest, will give

revitalization, of energy,

accomplishment.

It

For the depressed can give Dr.

is

and

that's

you a feeling of

a psychological feeling of

gives a feeling of, T've

done it.

It's

completed.'

individual, the boost to self-esteem that this

important."

Goldwag

also

emphasizes interaction with others

important step the depressed individual

her own: "The next step

may attempt on

as

an

his or

may involve doing some volunteer work,

getting out and doing things for other people. This

is

very

important in trying to get the depressed persons mind off himself or herself. Depressed people are continually negative.

dark thoughts,

guilt,

sad feelings,

grief, regrets.

They have

Such negative

thoughts are characteristic of depression. You can't talk the

depressed individual out of them or try to convince them otherwise, but you can distract them. Physical activity distraction.

Doing things

the person involved in effective

:\2

for other people

someone

else's

way of dealing with depressed

is

is

one

another. So getting

problems can be a very individuals."

Depression (Unipolar Disorder)

Then comes

nutrition. It

is

surprising

nutrition are factors in depression,

and how

or improved nutrition can be in helping

how

often diet and

enhanced

effective

someone

suffering from

depression to improve their mood. As Dr. Goldwag says, "Nutrition

is

important in preventing depression and treating

Often the quality of the diet suffers depression eating.

is

depressed people.

in

If the

profound, the individual doesn't even feel

Depressed people who

providers or cooks in the house

live

alone or

who

it.

like

are major

may not feel like preparing meals

or even shopping. They're apt to restrict their nutrition to fast

food or just anything to get eating over with." In

weight

loss is a

cases, there

is

symptom of severe

many

cases,

many

other

depression. In

substantial weight gain.

As Dr. Goldwag notes,

significant weight loss

is

likely to

bring about "marked deprivation of the essential nutrients, including the amino acids needed to manufacture the proper proteins, as well as a deficiency in

That

in itself

Dr.

many vitamins and

minerals.

can then aggravate the depression."

Goldwag suggests straightforward

some of the challenges some simple ways

solutions to at least

associated with depression: "There are

to prepare food in advance so that the food

has to be prepared less often.

I

recommend preparing a raw salad

once a week. Certain fresh vegetables can be stored for quite a period in a refrigerator and will keep quite well. There are a

whole variety to choose from:

carrots, celery, radishes, cauliflower,

broccoli, peppers, red cabbage, green onions,

beans. These can

all

peas, string

be cut up and mixed together. They can be

stored in a plastic bag or sealed container.

When mealtime comes,

a person can take a handful of these vegetables

add some other ones that don't keep sprouts.

snow

You then have

as well,

a fresh salad that

is

and then perhaps

such as tomatoes or

already prepared with

33

Nutrition and the Mind a lot of important nutrients. This

prepared

in

advance.

It's

don't have the energy to

Dr.

Goldwag

make

for

people

who are depressed and

a whole meal."

believes that the

especially important.

B Complex Vitamins

are

"One of the major groups of vitamins

incorporate are from the

when people

good

one way of having food

just

is

B complex

family. Years

to

and years ago,

suffered from severe vitamin deficiencies,

some of

the resultant diseases like pellagra and so forth were characterized

by accompanying psychotic

reactions.

That

is,

the thinking

process was the most obvious one to be affected by the vitamin

deficiency Simply providing the proper vitamin, in this case

vitamin B 3 or niacin, was the treatment.

It

cleared up the

is

very dependent

psychosis.

no doubt

"There's

upon

nutrients like niacin and others, because

absent there is

that brain function

is

apt to be

important to get

all

they work together. Thiamine, B

the : ,

is

vitamins, since

important, as is

B6

,

is

riboflavin to

pyridoxine.

B 12

is

another one that can affect the mental processes. "Niacin

in

this.

B complex

a lesser extent. Another important one still

they're

some very disturbed thinking. Depression

one of the symptoms that can occur with "It is

when

is

often used in

much

higher doses than the others

order to accomplish some of these changes. Niacin

ubiquitous vitamin.

It is

a

being used greatly to help reduce

cholesterol levels, to improve the

the bad.

is

The dosages being used

good cholesterol and reduce are

much

greater than those

used to simply overcome a deficiency"

The amino in the

acid tryptophan can be another key substance

treatment of depression, according to Dr. Goldwag.

Tryptophan helps chemical

.1

in

to raise the levels of a naturally occurring

the brain called serotonin, which have

been found

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) to

be abnormally now

in

depressed people.

"We

learned about

serotonin from experiments in which certain drugs that preserve it

from being destroyed

antidepressants.

The theory

in the brain is

that

work

to

as

whatever can supply or aid

Some foods that contain

the serotonin factor will help depression.

tryptophan can act as antidepressants. in

seem

It is

found most abundantly

milk and turkey. Tryptophan used to be obtainable until the

FDA took some

it

off the

market several years ago because there were

who

serious blood problems in people

later tracked

down

to the tryptophan lax in

to a contaminant; the

itself.

not allowing

it

Unfortunately the

took

This was

it.

problem was not due

FDA has been rather

back on the market again. Increasing the

intake of milk and turkey are at least two ways of getting tryptophan."

At the same time, there are plenty of foods that should be avoided. Fast foods can affect mental

sugar abnormalities. People

symptoms by causing blood

who tend

to

hypoglycemia or low

blood sugar patterns should avoid eating too many simple carbohydrates, such as candy bars, which are converted very rapidly to sugar in the blood. As Dr.

Goldwag

says,

"Simple

carbohydrate foods temporarily raise the blood sugar, but then they drop

it

to a very

low

level several hours later, resulting in

depression. This encourages the individual to repeat the cycle of

taking sugar or

some simple carbohydrate

that's

converted to

sugar in order to feel that high again. This constant seesaw from

high to low

mood

can account for

many

episodes of depression

in individuals."

Both alcoholics and chronic dieters often have depressive tendencies. Alcoholics often suffer from

and although alcohol may appear at enhancer,

it is

in fact a depressant

symptoms of low mood,

first as

and

a stimulant

and mood

substantially decreases

35

Nutrition and the Mind the ability of the

body

to extract nutrients

from the food we

eat.

Dieters tend to eat very few B-complex-containing foods, and

they often suffer from depression as well.

According to Dr. Goldwag there are between eight and twelve specific characteristic signs of

more severe

"Generally these should be present for represent a change from a previous

at least

state:

depression.

two weeks and

They are reduction

in

appetite, reduction in sleep ability, fatigue, lack of energy, agitation or retardation in activities, loss

motor

activity, loss

of interest in usual

of interest in sex, feelings of worthlessness or guilt,

slowed thinking,

inability to concentrate to a severe degree,

and

recurring thoughts of suicide, or suicide attempts."

Everyone from time

one or more of these

to time has

symptoms. But when approximately four or

five

of these are

when

this

represents a

present for a long period of time, and

departure from a persons usual personality, the possibility of depression should be considered.

As Dr. Goldwag reminds treating depression

us,

"The

first

drugs ever used for

were amphetamines. In

their time, before

they got such a bad reputation, they were considered helpful. In the old days

—

20, 30, or

for weight control.

made

40 years ago

They did diminish the

a person feel good, alert,

went on

diets

—amphetamines were used appetite,

and they also

and more energetic. People who

and took amphetamines

felt great.

"Of course, the problem came when you stopped the amphetamines. People would go into a depression. For that reason amphetamines were recognized to be very habit-forming. In order to feel

many people

good a person had

that

still

seemed

to

keep on taking them. For

okay, at least for a while.

For a

fair

percentage though, the dose became inadequate as the person started feeling like he or she

36

needed more and more of the drug.

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) This created

kinds of problems with the body's chemistry.

all

"There are little bit like

still

some medications on the market

that act a

the amphetamines, although they are not anywhere

near as powerful. These are mild sympathetic nervous system stimulants that are sold over the counter, such as those people

when they have

use to keep awake

some

to drive. In

instances

I'm sure there are people who take them as a way of counteracting depression.

"The next group of drugs

to

come

along were the tricyclic

antidepressants. They're called tricyclic because of their chemical structure,

which

is

a triple cycle.

There are a whole bunch of

them now on the market. The newer group the enzymes that break

down

serotonin.

are those that inhibit

They

are designed to

try to raise the serotonin level in the brain. In that

way they

counteract depression.

"They are side effects.

to varying degrees effective, but they

all

Some

of the side effects are severe;

They usually take days or weeks before they are this

way they

are different than the

because those would work

in a

some

have

are mild.

effective,

amphetamines used

and

in

to be,

matter of minutes or hours.

course, in the long run the present-day antidepressants

more

all

Of

may be

effective.

"As far as nutritional protocols, the ones

I

know of that

of practical use are the ones that use high doses of

Those have been used

specifically niacin.

You have

to

be a

little bit

for

are

B complex,

some time now.

careful of niacin because over long

periods of time, in high doses, there can be

some

effects

on the

liver.

"The doses of niacin that have been used, mostly by Dr. Hoffer, have

been

in the ranges of 1 to 3

grams a

day. That's

thousands of milligrams a day, whereas the requirements for

37

Nutrition and the Mind avoiding a deficiency are measured in just 10 or 20 mg." Dr. Robert Atkins distinguishes

each with

its

two types of depression,

respective type of therapeutic approach. "Clinically,

you can divide depressions into two different categories: the apathetic depression

where you

just can't get interested in or

enjoy anything, and the agitated or anxious depression, where basically

you are depressed and nervous. The

is

responsive

extremely valuable in cases of agitated depression.

Apathetic depression

now call

is

and is best treated with tryptophan.

to increasing serotonin levels

Tryptophan

latter

is

acetyltyrosine,

best treated with tyrosine or what

we

and a product called Noraval."

Dr. Doris Rapp, like

many

other doctors

we

interviewed,

discerned environmental and nutritional causes of depression.

"There

is

no doubt that certain people become sad when they

eat certain foods. suicidal

when

One

youngster became depressed and nearly

she was on fluoride tablets.

imipramine and she could barely walk. All

we

did was

make an

and we could change her drawings

allergy extract of the fluoride

from happy faces

Then she was put on

to tear-stained faces

and she would

start to cry.

For two years, the fluoride had been causing her trouble, but

none of her doctors would believe cause this problem. everybody, but

it is

Now

that a fluoride tablet could

fluoride isn't necessarily

certainly not a

good preparation

bad

for

for certain

individuals. "I see patients

who

don't have asthma

and hay fever during

the pollen season, but they become suicidal and depressed every

year at the same time grass pollinates,

So

if

when

when

the

on moldy days, and when the ragweed pollinates.

you can see a pattern

to figure out

a certain tree pollinates,

to

your depression,

what might be the reason

it is

worth trying

for that pattern."

Dr. Michael Schachter describes several alternative courses

38

Depression (Unipolar Disorder)

"Many

of treatment with patients suffering from depression.

who

people

By

thyroid.

are depressed are often deficient in nutrients or

giving

them these

nutrients, their depression

frequently is alleviated, sometimes in just one or two

you don't need

visits.

Often

to go to drugs, although sometimes you

Sometimes depression

is

caused by

will.

a deficiency of the

neurotransmitter for norepinephrine. In such a case the amino acid L-tyrosine, or the helpful.

amino acid DL-phenylalanine may be

DL-phenylalanine consists of two forms of phenylalanine,

namely D-phenylalanine and L-phenylalanine. L-phenylalanine used by the body to make proteins. D-phenylalanine

is

a

precursor of the brain substance D-phenylethylamine, which

is

is

frequently deficient in people who are suffering from depression. I

also

recommend

the mineral magnesium, and vitamin Bi

(thiamine) for depression. But the course of treatment really has to

be individualized. "You also want to clean up the diet and eliminate sugar,

artificial

sweeteners and other nonphysiologic chemicals, white

and other harmful substances. The

flour products, caffeine,

overgrowth of the microorganism Candida albicans important factor in people

who have

who

are depressed.

is

Many

often an patients

Candida problems are also depressed. Oral antibiotics,

oral contraceptives,

and

steroids predispose a person to chemical

imbalances and an overgrowth of Candida, or yeast, which

is

frequently manifested as abdominal gas and bloating, chronic vaginitis in

women, and

with an anti-candida

diet,

depression. Frequently

I

will treat

it

eliminating sugar and yeast products

and using a variety of anti-candida

nutrients.

Sometimes

I'll

use

anti-candida medications. This regimen will frequently clear up the depression, as well as Dr.

many of the

other symptoms."

Lendon Smith addresses some of the more

baffling

39

Nutrition \\d the Mind aspects of depression in todays society. "The

more we hear about

the rising tide of suicides in adolescents and even in children as

young

as eight, nine,

and

ten,

it

seems astounding that such a

thing should overwhelm substantial

supposed

is

numbers of children in what

be the happiest time of

to

life. I

evaluate children

and adults who are depressed. For some of them there

no

is

apparent reason for their overwhelming sadness. They've got

good relationships with other people. Their is

intact.

social organization

They've had a good upbringing. They have a good

self-

image. They have good school or work performance and they're getting nice accolades from relatives and friends.

depressed?

It just

doesn't

seem

Why are

right.

"When we do blood tests on these people we find, that there are two things wrong.

If,

is

okay'

we go by the

for instance, calcium's range

the mean. If they're Still, if

in general,

One is that they're nutrient deficient.

In the particular program I'm doing,

the mean.

they

is

deviation from

8.5 to 10.5, then 9.5

is

down to 9 or 8.6, die doctor will say, 'Everything

there are enough of those scores below the mean,

these people don't have enough wherewithal, enough nutrients, to satisfy all their

enzyme requirements.

"Fifteen years ago, for example, a 20-year-old woman to see

me who was

from a good

depressed for no apparent reason. She came

family,

and had a nice boyfriend and

Everything seemed fine but she would

once

would be quite

vitamins. B, 2

.

I

still

a

good

I

I

get depressed every

was experimenting with vitamins.

safe to give her a shot of the

would give about 50

mg of each

I

thought

mixed B complex

included a cc of everything from B] to

folic acid

and

one of these vitamins and

50 meg of the B 12 intramuscularly every

day.

"After two or three of these shots this patient told

40

job.

in a while.

"At that time it

came

me

that

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) the treatment wasn't working very well for her. She asked,

them

'Couldn't you give

as separate vitamins?'

her injections of isolated vitamins.

B 3 B 6 B 12 and ,

,

started giving

gave her a shot of 100

I

Bi on Monday and B 2 on Tuesday

I

mg of

gave her separate shots of

I

folic acid.

,

"She reported feeling terrible after receiving B 1? thiamine.

She asked After the

me never to do that again.

B 2 she came back and same thing

special. She said the

B 6 she came back and

said,

B 12 and

also really liked the

I

thought that seemed odd.

said that

it

was okay but nothing

after receiving the

B 3 But .

1 think you're onto something.' She the folic acid.

"These three vitamins were the important ones for

mixed them up and gave them that combination, she

"About

to her every

was apparently

week

her. I

or two. With

satisfied.

five or six years ago, I started a

we have people

new program where

smell vitamins to see what they need. If

good smell or no

after

smell, they

need

it.

If

it's

it's

a

a

bad

smell, they

it.

She

said,

don't. "I

had her open up thiamine and smell

Somebody must have done something awful

lord.

'Good

to this.'

I

explained to her that nothing was wrong with the vitamin but that she didn't tract that

need

smell; she

she needed

could

She had some bacteria

in

her intestinal

helped her make her own thiamine. Her body was

therefore rejecting

good

it.

B 3 had no

needed

that.

satisfy its

it.

that.

Her body

smell; she

B 12 and

told her

folic acid

people's needs.

It

is

that.

B 6 had

a

had no smell so

what she needed, and she

requirements. Apparently

the sense of smell and taste

needed

this

method of using

highly accurate in determining

should be used rather than just taking

multivitamins willy-nilly.

"Craving chocolate

is

also a sign of depression. It usually

41

Nutrition \\n the Mind

means

that people

in chocolate.

need magnesium, because

there's

magnesium

Women, the day before their menstrual period, often

find themselves searching through the cupboards for chocolate.

They

find a big canister of

feeling better from the "I

Hershey s and drink

it

down before

magnesium.

often had the delightful experience of giving an

intravenous mixture of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and

vitamins. Usually

Afterwards

I

has

it

more magnesium than calcium.

asked patients whether they would

me

chocolate and they told

B

they didn't need

like

some

It really is

it.

connected.

"Women

month of pregnancy

in the sixth

their

husbands out for

grow

fast.

cream because the baby

ice

The woman has

because she knows they but she also

a conscious

will bring

need

send

will often is

starting to

for dairy products

her the calcium she needs,

says, 'Don't forget the pickles.'

She knows, somehow,

that she needs to acidify that calcium source for the baby. will

not get

much

She

out of it and she will suffer from leg cramps.

"The chemist I work with

in

Spokane discovered something

about GGT, a liver and gallbladder enzyme called gamma glutamil

The range

transpeptidase. 40.

They find these values

that the lab has all

anywhere from

is

over the place.

to

The mean would be

about 20.

"What we've found

more

likely to

symptoms little

little

12

when

in the feet

Most of these people crabby.

"Magnesium Food

is

below

20, they're

— short attention span, trouble relaxing or sleeping,

chocolate. a

that if their level

have some of these magnesium deficiency

muscle cramps

may be

is

its

is

and

legs,

and a craving

don't like to be touched.

for

They

Those symptoms go with low magnesium.

one of the

first

minerals to disappear from

been processed. Magnesium

is

also

one of the

— Depression (Unipolar Disorder)

first

minerals to leave the body

accounts for

how many women behave

They

periods.

when

feel stressed

there

is

stress,

which

a day or so before their

because they're losing their

magnesium.

"We need

to supply

determine who needs

it

magnesium

by the blood

test

smell. If people smell a bottle of pure

magnesium no is

chloride

a

is

smell, then the person needs

it.

—

if it

magnesium

The blood test we

tendencies. If there

is

salt

if there's

usually use

test.

of depression, hyperactivity, headaches,

and other conditions are related

loss of weight,

to genetic

a tendency to be depressed in the family,

magnesium deficiency

will allow that

tendency to show up.

there's alcoholism, diabetes, obesity in the family, then

magnesium may allow those are reasons to explain this.

The

can

and by the sense of

smells good or

the 24 chem. screen, the standard blood

"Many symptoms

a

good one

We

to these people.

all

things to

show up

in a person.

these things and nutrition

patients don't have an antidepressant

pill

is

If

low

There

basic to

deficiency;

they usually have a magnesium deficiency.

"The

first

thing

I

do

is

ask people what they're eating. If

find that they're eating a lot of dairy products,

and that

they had their tonsils taken out, and that they had a throat

and ear

infections, then

and they're looking will

show

they love

this.

is

I

know

I

as a child

lot

of strep

they're allergic to milk

for calcium. Sure enough, the blood tests

That's the first thing they have to stop.

Whatever

probably causing the trouble because food sensitivities

can cause low blood sugar."

Summing

up, Dr. Smith cites low blood sugar and

magnesium deficiency "As all

we know

as

two key hidden causes of depression.

—those of us who have worked with

—low blood

sugar, not just eating sugar,

can do

nutrition at

that,

but also

43

Mind

Nutrition \\d the

eating foods to which a person

sugar

and

fall

and

falling

is

sensitive, will

that can lead to depression.

make the blood

So lack of magnesium

blood sugar, for whatever reason, are the two most

significant things responsible for a susceptibility to depression."

Depression and Tobacco Dr.

Abram Hoffer

tells

the story of a classic case of a

misdiagnosis corrected, enabling one

previous

life

man to

start

anew after his

had already been ruined. "A high school teacher

and principal of about 45 developed a severe depression. In I

believe he was misdiagnosed as a schizophrenic.

what we

He was

in a

and then discharged.

exhibited

deep-seated, endogenous

call a straightforward,

depression.

He

fact,

mental hospital for about a year or two,

He was so depressed that no one could live

with him. His wife divorced him and eventually he was living with his aunt,

who looked after him

he was referred

resort,

"When he came had

to

as if he

me.

to see

me, which was many years ago,

just started looking into the question of allergies.

time,

wasn't very familiar with food allergies, but

I

was a very interesting case and case of a depression,

person

in the

maybe

water

fast.

This

is

a

allergies are present.

I

said to myself,

He

he had

to drink

I

At that

thought he is

a classic

schizophrenic. He'd be the last

was using

—and

to this anti-allergy

I still

do

—

a four-day

or not these

agreed that he would do the

fast,

which

from any smoking or consuming of about eight glasses of water a day and

nothing else. His aunt said she would help

When

I

'He

way of determining whether

also- involved refraining

alcohol;

I

world who would respond

approach.' At that time

44

were a child. As a last

he came back to sec

make sure he complied.

me two weeks

later,

he and

his

aunt

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) explained that,

the

at

end of the four-day fast, he was normal.

All

of the depression was gone. "This

same man then began

and he found began

to

that not a single food

smoke

he was back

to get tested for food allergies

again.

in his

made him

sick.

But now he

Within a day after he resumed smoking,

deep depression. The

ironic thing

was that he

had a brother who was a tobacco company executive, who kept sending him free cartons of cigarettes.

Now when we made

the

connection to his cigarette smoking, he stopped smoking. Thirty days

later, after

he had been depressed for four years and hadn't

been able

to work,

remember

this clearly

he was back

in school teaching.

And

I

because the insurance company that was

then paying his monthly pension was so astounded

at this

dramatic response that they sent one of their agents to see me, to find out

what the magic wand was that

patient off their that

rolls.

was causing

this

This

is

I

had waved

to get this

a classic case of an allergy to tobacco

man's depression."

Effect of Exercise, Nutrition, and Proper Lifestyle on Depression Dr. William

Goldwag

insists

on the importance of those

changes which can be made by the patient himself or herself.

"When we have patients who are depressed and we can get them moving, the depression

is

greatly alleviated.

Of

have changed the whole treatment of depression

course, drugs

greatly,

but the

impact exercise can have on depression has often been overlooked, and

it

needs to be re-emphasized. People

on antidepressants may improve, but the way get back to functioning well

— back

in

for

them

who

are

to really

touch with their

45

Mind

Nutrition \\n the

environment, back to work, back

—

family

is

to get

in relationships

them moving. And

there's

with their

no better way

to get

people moving than through exercise, whose healing potential has no limits.

"The individual

when good

recommend

I

can push themselves

There

much

further.

same thing: more

going on, a clearer mind, and less

is

is

no one exercise

just

do a

that

little bit;

is

some

Ask anybody who has gone

an exercise program and thev

relatively sedentary life to

will all report the is

exercise.

Some people can

for everybody.

from a

the important thing to take into account

is

energy, stress.

more

interest in

what

Being active, therefore,

an integral part of any kind of medical program, particularly

for people "I

who

have

are having mental disturbances.

many

patients

who have had

histories or emotional histories. Today, as

very stressful medical

more and more people

are revealing the difficulties they had as children sexual

and nonsexual

on these on

—

and the

their history;

—the abuse, both

stress

it

causes based

early childhood experiences continues to have an impact

their lives.

Even though

now, psychically they are

still

their lives

may be

relatively serene

dealing with a lot of these issues.

"At the same time, they have to be

made

to realize that

nutrition plays an integral role in their feeling well.

They have

to

supply their bodies with proper nutrients and eliminate excesses or chronic addictions to alcohol, drugs, or food (including sweets

and

sugar). Inevitably,

I

find that

addiction to sugar, they function

hypoglycemia for

is

someone

if

much

away from an

gets

better.

The

old term

very appropriate for their condition, particularly

people with chronic depression, chronic fatigue syndrome,

and chronic immune system dysfunction. These people find that

when they modify

their diets

and get off sugars,

Functioning improves considerably

46

their mental

Depression (Unipolar Disorder) "This lots

is

the

first step:

of vegetables,

amount of meat

fruits,

more

and whole

in the diet.

once they modify their into

switching to a healthy diet containing

activity.

diet,

grains,

and minimizing the

Now some

people

and

be able

they'll

Some people need to

will feel better

to

move

start off with

right

some kind

of moderate exercise program and almost automatically they will start to

look for a

in hand.

more

nutritious diet.

The two seem

to

Nowadays, so many athletes are paying a

attention to

what they eat,

go hand

lot

more

in addition to their workouts. Similarly,

many people who

are paying attention to their diets

that exercise almost

becomes an inevitable consequence of paying

attention to promoting

good

now

find

health.

"After paying attention to exercise and nutrition, you need to

be aware of the

of behavior and altered by

stresses of your

how

own lifestyle: your own patterns

they are manifested and

more healthy ways of

thinking.

how

they

may be

For example,

if

you

frequently get upset by dwelling on the past, then you need to try not to think so

much about what

took place in the past or

what

is

learn

how to focus on the present reality, what's going on now, by

going to happen in the future. Your emotional work

putting the body in a

to

mode where it is accepting what's happening

now, so you're ready for anything that reliving crises over

is

and over

may happen,

instead of

again."

47

EatingDisorders

5.

Anorexia and Bulimia Anorexia nervosa and bulimia are pernicious conditions that are pervasive in our consumption-centered society, affecting

women

in particular, especially

younger

women and

teenagers.

Several physicians practicing orthomolecular psychiatry have

approached these conditions

in

terms of zinc deficiency Dr.

Michael Schachter has stated that "some people an eating disorder

may be

who

suffering from a zinc deficiency

years ago, Alex Schauss presented a paper about a patients

suffer

from

A few

number of

who were suffering from anorexia nervosa. He found that

they were zinc-deficient by using a simple test called a zinc taste test.

The person

his or taste,

her mouth. If the individual describes

it

as

having a bad

then he or she usually has adequate levels of zinc in the

tissues.

On

if it tastes

Even

holds a small quantity of zinc sulfate solution in

the other hand,

just like water,

if his

if the

person can't taste the solution or

then he or she

may have a zinc deficiency.

or her blood levels look fine, zinc tissue levels

48

may be

Eating Disorders

found he had trouble correcting these zinc

low. Schauss

abnormalities with zinc tablets or capsules, and needed to use the

which seemed

liquid zinc sulfate solution,

"A zinc deficiency often

to

be absorbed.

results in a vicious cycle

because

the zinc deficiency actually inhibits one's ability to absorb zinc in

capsule or tablet form. However, the zinc sulfate solution seems to

be absorbed, resulting

improved

many

anorexia nervosa,

I

improvement and an

have had people with milder appetite,

have been able to rely on

to

clinical

I

patients in the last couple of years with

and sometimes excessive I

both

absorb oral zinc tablets or capsules. While

ability to

haven't seen

in

loss

of appetite,

who have had zinc deficiencies.

this test

and administering zinc liquid

improve the condition of these patients," Dr. Schachter

concludes.

On

the subject of bulimia, Dr. Doris

Rapp

the importance of zinc. Zinc deficiency

may be

though the stated reason for the behavior

is

gain.

also discusses

even

a factor,

avoidance of weight

According to Dr. Rapp, "In cases where youngsters or adults

are eating and then purging themselves in the bathroom by

putting a finger

down

their throats, these individuals are

ostensibly getting rid of the food because they don't want to gain

weight. But

some studies have suggested that zinc can be a helpful

form of treatment." Dr. Jose Yaryura-Tobias reminds us of the life-threatening severity of a condition like anorexia nervosa,

and of his view that

any nutritional approach must be preceded by a program of cognitive therapy. "Anorexia nervosa, from our perspective,

obsessive-compulsive disorder that

way that we perceive process by which a the population

who

is

being

an

related to self-image, the

ourselves. Basically, anorexia nervosa

human

is

self-starves. Thirty

is

the

percent of

self-starve eventually die.

49

Mind

Nutrition and the

"From cases

when

the biochemical viewpoint, in the vast majority of patients

for a consultation they are already

The chemistry we can measure

very emaciated.

We know that

come

there

is

a groove that

which regulates

very altered.

related to an area of the

is

brain called the limbic system. This

is

is

the hypothalamic area,

sugar, thirst, appetite,

and so

forth. This

information can help us classify some of these patients, but does

not

tell

us

how to manage and eventually cure

rest of the

problem, we

way

perception, the

They feel too

The

has to do with body image

that these patients see their

too slim.

fat,

feel,

the problem.

They have

own

bodies.

different perspectives than

the rest of us.

"How do we

treat this condition? Basically

program with cognitive therapy. Cognitive therapy because the idea

who

use a

approach after the patient has undertaken a behavioral

nutritional

and

we

is

to discuss with

they are,

way it does

to educate the person about their

them how many false

why they

for

is

think this way,

them, and so

forth.

beliefs they

why

their

important

problems

have about

body looks the

So false-belief modification

is

an important part of treatment."

Food Addiction As

I

have said and written for many years, food cravings

and food addictions often mask food foods

we crave.

Guide

to Sensible

their practice

One such

very same

(See earlier books of mine, such as The Complete

Eating and

present discussion, I've found in

allergies to the

Good Food, Good Mood.) For holistic practitioners

who

ways of treating food addiction.

physician, Dr. HylaCass, describes her experience

treating patients suffering from food addiction as follows:

50

the

include

"Some

Eating Disorders

time ago, a psychologist who specializes in eating disorders began to

send her clients

me because

to

she had heard that

antidepressant medications worked for these patients.

more

shifted to a

holistic

psychologist that before

would as

try

way of looking I

at things, so

often crave the very foods to which

we

it's

like

is

a food allergy.

We

are allergic. Typically,

to eat that are the

create the symptoms. In fact,

I

certain eating disorders, such

food cravings, the underlying problem

we want

told the

did anything with antidepressants

some other things. With

the very things

I

had

I

its

most damaging, that

an addiction to alcohol: As

you abstain from the foods you're addicted

to,

you begin

to

have

withdrawal symptoms and crave those foods even more. "In order to break the cycle in cases of food addiction, just as

when breaking the

allergic to alcohol),

cycle with drinking (alcoholics are actually

you need

appropriate nutrients. restore

to supply the

When we

correct the deficiencies and

body balance, the food cravings and

will often

be relieved. Rather than having

'willpower,'

it is

body with the

allergy

symptoms

to rely strictly

on

possible for individuals to break addictive cycles

by achieving metabolic balance, through avoiding the offending foods and supporting the body with a balanced nutritional

program of vitamins, minerals, and amino cravings will then simply go away.

It's

acids. Often, the

quite remarkable:

With a

good vitamin and mineral product, you can often put a stop the food allergy and "I

may

its

accompanying symptoms.

order a plasma amino acid analysis, a blood

determine which amino acids

—

especially

ones which the body cannot synthesize by

amino acid glutamine,

to

in a

among

test to

the essential

—are low The

itself

dosage of 500-1,000 mg,

is

particularly

useful for reducing cravings, including alcohol cravings.

"There are other things to do for food

allergies as well," Dr.

51

Nutrition and the Mind

Cass adds. "Addictions and allergies are often related to

magnesium deficiency and can be corrected by supplementation. There are allergies

we

also techniques that can actually eliminate food

through the use of acupuncture and acupressure. As

many

can see," Dr. Cass concludes, "there are

ways, other

than psychotherapy and medication, to approach what

seems

like a psychological

Dr. Doris

Rapp

at first

problem."

brings us

more

concerning the

detail

connection between food cravings and allergies: "In

my

experience, eating disorders and alcoholism can be related to allergies. Frequently, eating disorders are

food addictions.

When makes

you have a food sensitivity, there

is

a certain phase of it that

And

if

you happen

you

really crave that food.

wheat or baked goods,

for example,

them, with the result that you example,

men who

to the beer, but

component

—

may become obese. To give another

may

drink a lot of beer

alcoholics. They're sensitive to

it's

in the

the corn

— or

and addicted

sometimes some other

beer that is causing the problem. Sometimes,

for those with an allergy to grains, they

may

eating cereal or certain types of baked goods."

52

be addicted to

you can never get enough of

are addicted to corn

and they can become

to

feel 'drunk' after

6\

Insomnia Although we spend roughly a third of our

the essential nature of what sleep

Insomnia

is

a very

is still isn't

common symptom

of

lives sleeping,

fully

many

understood.

of the disorders

discussed elsewhere in this book, ranging from anxiety to

schizophrenia and including various other Typically, anxiety

makes

it

more

difficult to

mood

disorders.

go to sleep, and

depression can cause early waking. Insomnia can also result directly

from physical symptoms such

as a side effect of

as pain or indigestion, or

drug medication.

Dr. Robert Atkins points out the efficacy of tryptophan,

which isn't currently legally available of insomnia: "Tryptophan

because serotonin

you are ready

to

is

is

in the U.S., in the

very valuable for sleep disorders

the sleep chemical. If you take

go to bed,

upswing anyway, you are

treatment

when your

it

right

serotonin level

is

when

on the

really fitting in physiologically with

your

body's chemical rhythms."

Most of the doctors I interviewed shared similar experiences in treating insomnia.

chronic,

is

A major cause of insomnia,

reactive hypoglycemia. This

53

is

especially if its

frequently exacerbated

WD

Nl TUITION

by eating

THE MlND

late at night, especially if

yon eat foods with a high

glucose level, such as pastries, candy, or even fruit juice. Such foods cause your blood sugar level to go up and then plummet, a fluctuation that can contribute to insomnia. Also, overindulging late at night in highly fatty foods

because foods with a

lot

of

fat

can cause sleeplessness. That's

take four to five times longer to

empty from the stomach and be digested than simple or complex carbohydrates do.

Another big factor

in

insomnia

is

intake of stimulants, such

as the caffeine in coffee, tea, chocolate,

people consume

at all

hours without

and even

colas,

much thought

which

as to the

stimulant effects. Alcohol, although generally considered a depressant, can have stimulant effects in

some

oases.

In addition to food and drink, certain medications as well

can be culprits in insomnia. Drugs that interfere with the natural sleep cycle include Prozac, the

newer drugs related to it, and Xanax.

Exercising in the evening the insomnia-prone in that

and

it

is

another possible bane for

can overstimulate adrenal levels

excite the musculoskeletal system, resulting in difficulty

getting to sleep. Likewise, overstimulating the

mind by

thinking about unresolved conflicts can be a problem the goal

is

sleep.

Concerning ways

to reach that goal, herbs that are nontoxic

and have no contraindications can be challenged by insomnia. Unlike sleeping

you

when

in a fog in the

morning, or feeling

a real help to those

herbs won't leave

pills,

like

you haven't

really

an important relaxant herb popular in

slept.

Passionflower

much

of Europe. Other possibilities include valerian root, a

is

natural calmative used

who

for people

tend to be anxious, and hops.

Other things

54

by orthomolecular psychiatrists

to try: foods with naturally

occurring

Insomnia tryptophan in high amounts; calcium citrate and magnesium citrate

the

— 1200 mg of each taken any time

after dinner;

50

mg of

B complex; and 200 mg of inositol. Also, 200 meg of chromium

in the

evening

will

help stabilize your blood sugar

level.

For those with a partner, a gentle neck and head massage for 15

may do

minutes

minutes

in a

warm

the trick in conquering insomnia, and 15

may be

bath

helpful as well (no partner

required).

Along the shortly before

be a way of

lines of positive affirmation, writing in a diary

bedtime can be extraordinarily

really seeing

what you've done

beneficial. It can

that's

affirmed vour

mental, spiritual, and physical health, as well as any deeds you've

done

that have

some time

had

at the

in the past

positive effects

on

others. If a person spends

end of each day reflecting on what they've done

24 hours

that's

been

positive,

and on plans

for the

next day, he or she gains a sense of completeness about the day. In a sense, then, diary-writing legitimizes going to bed;

you can now see that you

really deserve the

good

it's

as if

night's sleep

you' re about to get.

55

JManic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) 7»

Dr. Garry Vickar describes bipolar disease as an illness that

has a manic component and a depressed component. If we want to look at as useful,

mood disorders

as a distinct group,

we're talking about "diseases of

which he describes

unknown

etiology

characterized by recurrences of disturbed mood." "If the

mood

is

one of either agitation or elevated mood,"

Dr. Vickar continues, "one calls that

hypomanic

or, at

the most

extreme, manic. Manic individuals are those whose moods are

accompanying disorders of energy, both

elevated, with, typically,

physical

and emotional.

"The opposite

comes

in, is that

pole,

mood,

course, there are people is,

is

where

this

term of polarity

of depressed mood. Here, there's slowness of

thinking, a lowness of

one pole, that

which

a slowness of

motor

whose mood disorders

activity.

Of

consist of simply

they have recurrent depression.

"The primary problem associated with mood disorders exactly thai

what

it

says:

There

come other features:

is

e.g.,

a

is

problem with mood. Along with

people who have depressed moods

56

Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) will also

such

very often end up having slowdowns in body functions,

and reduced appetite

as disturbances in sleep

and pleasurable

enjoy pleasurable or sexual

Depressed people often find

pursuits.

doesn't taste as good as

for food, sex,

once

it

did.

They

lose their ability to

whether these are

activities,

that food

sports, hobbies,

activity.

"With depression loss of one's sense

there's

an overwhelmingly painful, heavy,

of having the ability to function in the world,

a sense of one's uselessness.

The

danger, of course,

is

that people

may become so overwhelmed by their own subjective experience of loss and uselessness that they think their lives are not worth living or they

come

to believe that others think that their lives

are not worth living. In the worst case, perspective and think that the world

ones shouldn't

live.

someone

will lose

is

so terrible that their loved

Then you have the

specter of the potential of

homicidal/suicidal activities.

"There are

illnesses that fall

under the rubric of mood

disorders that don't have a manic component. These are recurrent

depressions. Generally, the incidence of especially depressive disorders,

is

mood

disorders,

substantially greater, that

more common, than schizophrenic

disorders. Recurrent

depressions certainly occur frequently. Depression serious illness

and a very insidious one

in

is,

which people

a very

is

lose their

perspective on themselves and their views of where they

fit

into

the world.

"At the opposite pole of the depression

hypomanic illness

is

state.

Today

it is

uncommon

so out of control that they

is

what

to see

become

I

consider a

people whose

truly manic.

More

who are manic-depressive becoming their moods. They become more

often you will see individuals

excessively elevated in expansive.

They might go on spending sprees and spend money

57

Nutrition and the Mind they don't have, or get involved in not qualified

for.

They may run up charge

gambling, financial

in

activities that

affairs,

possibly drug abuse that they

they truly are

cards, or get involved

extramarital affairs, alcohol, or

would not otherwise be doing.

It

becomes almost the reverse of the depression spectrum

—they

need

is

less sleep,

they need less food, and everything

become rather horrific because people can become

intense. It can

exhausted. They're sleeping two or three hours a day,

They may be cigarettes.

At the same time they have

very, very

if that.

getting by on a cup of coffee and a soda and

overwhelming sense

this

of omnipotence about themselves and their

be a

very

abilities.

So

can

it

dangerous period of time."

As Dr. Vickar reminds

us, a

manic episode may

also take

forms very different from the euphoria described above:

"It

can

be a period when, instead of being overly expansive, people

also

become

overly suspicious.

They become paranoid. The opposite

side of persecutory paranoia

grandiose patient grows

who

are getting in the

is

grandiosity.

irritable, angry,

Sometimes the

and upset at other people

way of the wonderful achievements he

or

she has to offer the world.

"When also

known

treating patients suffering

as bipolar disorder,

accept that the

mood

have

it

1

1

is

K

(

we

Canada they have tryptophan; we used

use other amino acids but

I

certainly use lithium.

we're discovering that some of the other anti-seizure

lications

may work in patients with lithium intolerance. Lithium

a naturally occurring substance so

I

prefer

seizure medications which are, of course, lithium

58

if

here.

"I don't

Now

certain advantages

disorders are related to possibly disturbed

serotonin metabolism. In to

we have

from manic-depression,

is

a perfect

it

over the other anti-

man-made. In

fact,

example of a naturally occurring substance

Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder) being used by traditional psychiatrists to treat biochemical diseases.

Sometimes you use lithium in schizophrenic patients who also have secondary depressions of their moods. You want to be cautious, however. "If a patient

is

manic and having psychotic symptoms,

I

tend to use a formulation similar to that given to psychotic Lithium

patients.

mood

is

is

certainly

low and he or she

is

added

in large part. If the patients

depressed, lithium

is

sometimes of

value, but not always. In addition to traditional antidepressants, I

make

B complex vitamins.

sure they have enough

"Before tryptophan was taken off the market,

amount of it. There

are

difficult for patients to get

is

for

hard to

you

fair

some people who use phenylalanine

and these substances can be purchased, but

tyrosine,

them

used a

I

either. Also,

them. Not every hospital

it is

or

often

will stock

sometimes the quality of the product

verify."

manic

Dr. Vickar describes a case history involving depression: "I treated a patient

who

had, for 40 years, exhibited

a history that was very clearly that of a manic depressive: erratic, impulsive,

had marital problems, and was

jobs. His response

came when

and nothing

else.

I

added lithium

in

He was

and out of

to the vitamins,

In over 40 years of his marriage, nobody had

ever taken a look at the possibility that he had a biochemical abnormality.

They just thought he was immature, or

or perhaps a bit antisocial.

I

see

him once

impulsive,

a year, and he takes

lithium and vitamins and nothing else. Lithium

is

a naturally

occurring substance that manic-depressives need in higher doses

than the rest of

us.

So here

is

a case of

better part of a lifetime of illness, hadn't

somebody who, been diagnosed

for the at all."

59

8. Obsessive-Compulsive

Behavior Obsessive-compulsive disorders affect about Americans. This type of condition

is

six

million

characterized by repetitive

thinking and the inability to control or put a stop to this thinking process,

which Dr. Jose Yaryura-Tobias describes

as "very forceful,

practically taking over the mind. It doesn't allow

you

to think

about anything else. Compulsions are urges that are so extremely

demanding

that they appear to have to

be carried

out."

Some

of

the main compulsions are double-checking and hand washing. If the

compulsion

or diminish

isn't

if it is.

carried out, there

is

anxiety that will cease

This illness has been described in medical

literature for at least

200

years.

Dr. Yaryura-Tobias tells us

some of the peculiar

characteristics of obsessive-compulsive behavior: "It usually takes

about seven years or so for a patient to come in for a consultation,

which

tells

us that the condition tends to occur gradually,

becoming a part of the slow manner.

It

patient's behavioral

system in a very, very

occurs with equal frequency in males and females.

Fifty percent of obsessive-compulsive patients manifest their

60

Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior sickness during childhood or adolescence. Later on

—

after the age of 40

it

fades away, and

it

—primarily

becomes very

rare after

the age of 50.

why this

"As to

condition exists at

all,

we

don't have a sure

answer to that question. The behavior may result from a learning process that takes hold during childhood. There is

is

a theory that

now slowly being accepted about a biochemical process at work

related to changes in neurotransmitters

— the

chemical

substances in the brain that build bridges between neurons in the nervous cells so that they can transmit signals from the outside into our system

or, in

the outside world. in this regard

is

the reverse direction, have us act to affect

The key neurotransmitter that is being studied

serotonin.

"To treat obsessive-compulsive disorders, behavioral therapy, and an

amino acid approach, such

as the

use of

L-tryptophan, would be the treatment of choice, along with some

other medications.

"We

basically treat with behavioral therapy.

We

try to use

thought-stopping, exposure (flooding) and response prevention to prevent the brain difficult, so

we

we

from repeating the same thought. That

is

also use cognitive therapy to explain the reasons

think the things

we

do,

and

try to

modify the thought.

"Compulsions are the area where behavioral therapy is most effective.

We expose the patient, either in reality or in his or her

imagination, to face what he

AIDS

is

afraid of. If

you have

fears of

or of blood, you are exposed to blood or taken to the

hospital

where there might be

patients with

AIDS. Or you

will

read articles on the condition. "If

it is

contamination from

teach the person

them. Then

we

how

dirt the patient

is

and not

to

to touch objects

afraid of,

be

we

afraid of

prevent the patient from washing their hands; in

61

Nutrition and the Mind other words, they must remain unclean for awhile. I'm talking

about patients who,

when they are seriously ill, might completely

use up one or two bars of soap per day. They might engage in rituals

of washing for

many

hours.

They may wash

their

hands

sometimes a hundred or more times a day. Some of these patients, in addition, will clean their

hands with alcohol or other

substances. Sometimes their skin

becomes extremely

raw. I've

seen cases where patients require plastic surgery.

With

"Overall, the treatment takes about six months.

medication there

is

improvement up

to

60 or 70 percent of the

time.

"My colleagues and I were the first to use tryptophan and with it we were able to reduce and almost eliminate completely the use of drugs for this condition, and we obtained very good results. Unfortunately, tryptophan has been banned so we can no longer use

it.

We were using between 3000 and 9000 mg per

day.

"Then we used vitamin B 6 100 mg, three times ,

Vitamin B 6 pyridoxine phosphate, ,

a vitamin that

is

a day. is

very

important for the breakdown of tryptophan into serotonin. The idea behind this was that either these patients didn't have enough

serotonin in their brains, were very dependent on serotonin, or that the

normal conversion of tryptophan into serotonin was not

occurring.

"When we found by measuring

that there

was a lack of

serotonin, this could be reversed by the administration of

L-tryptophan with niacin and vitamin B 6

accomplish

this result,

.

Some medications

but with medications

we

face

also

many types

of side effects.

"About 30 percent of patients do not respond to any form of therapy. Hut

62

it

is

not a closed chapter for these patients either.

An

Obsessive- Compulsive Beha v io r

investigation has to

we

Now that we have brain imaging, brain. We can measure, for instance,

be conducted.

are able to visualize the

the metabolism of sugar in the brain. frontal

We

and temporal lobes and the basal

to Parkinsons disease, disrupted.

breakdown of sugar and

We

find, for instance, the

ganglia, that are related

see the metabolism of the

images of an abnormal brain. The

also

same can be seen with some

measurements

electrophysiological

of brain wave tests and so forth. "Interestingly," Dr. Yaryura-Tobias concludes,

"work has

been going on using pure behavioral therapy before and

after

measuring serotonin. With just behavioral therapy, we were able to

modify the

levels of serotonin in the body. In other words,

may not need medication to change

or challenge the presence of

a neurotransmitter such as serotonin. Simply the

of behavioral technique

According

to Dr.

we

may have an

mere interaction

effect."

Robert Atkins, there

some common

is

ground between conventional Western medicine and more holistic

approaches such

he refers

to as

as

orthomolecular psychiatry, or what

"complementary" medicine. "Both orthodox

medicine and complementary medicine, which

is

the nutrition-

based alternative to orthodox medicine, recognize that if a certain neurotransmitter is in short supply, certain syndromes will result.

A classic example is that the serotonin-deficient person will often be an obsessive-compulsive. These are the people who out of the house because they've got to

make

can't get

sure the light

—the people who have

switches are off or the gas jet

isn't

on

wash

day,

and whose desks have

their

hands 20 times a

perfectly neat.

to

to

be

These same people are serotonin-deficient."

The difference between the conventional and the alternative medical communities

lies in

how they address

Atkins describes the conventional approach:

the problem. Dr.

"Now

there are

63

Nutrition and the Mind drugs that block the degradation of serotonin and allow the serotonin level to

They poison

lift,

a lot of

but these drugs do a

enzyme systems and

lot

that's

people got into trouble with Prozac and drugs

more enlightened

alternative approach:

of other things:

why

like that."

so

many

And the

"However, you can

increase serotonin with the nutrition precursor, tryptophan,

which, unfortunately, the

FDA took off the market because of a

bad batch. "Dr. Russell Jaffe has

done research

to indicate that the best

treatment for the bad tryptophan syndrome (the easinophilia myalgic syndrome)

is

the use of pure unadulterated tryptophan.

People with obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders often

improve on tryptophan. Since the

FDA ban on tryptophan,

pure

tryptophan has not been available in the United States, even by prescription.

However, some pharmacies

of 5-hydroxy tryptophan. This

will

compound

compound capsules is

an intermediary

between tryptophan and 5-hydroxy-tryptamine, which is serotonin, the neurotransmitter you are trying to build up.

The whole idea of

supplying a precursor to build up a neurotransmitter that short supply

and should,

is

in

is

in

a fruitful approach to treating psychiatric disorders

my opinion," concludes

Dr. Atkins, "be considered

before the use of nonphysiologic psychotropic drugs, which have

more

64

potential for toxicity."

Schizophrenia

9.

Schizophrenia

have

as their

is

a group of illnesses of unknown cause that

common

features disorders of perception and

emotion. Schizophrenic illnesses are

common

classified,

according to

terminology, as paranoid or nonparanoid, and they are

termed either chronic or

acute. According to Dr. Garry Vickar,

"The new research

being done suggests that there

fact,

that's

differences in prognosis"

for patients suffering

the shape of the brain factors relating to

—

in other words the likely

—

from schizophrenia itself,

are, in

outcome

"in part related to

the age at onset, and complicating

any co-existing drug abuse or other concurrent

conditions. "Clearly," Dr. Vickar continues, "schizophrenic illnesses as

a group are are;

it

among the most

serious biochemical disorders there

can be said that schizophrenia is to psychiatry what cancers

are to general medicine.

The bulk of the

lost

revenue to

society,

the bulk of psychiatric expense, and the sheer horror to the families,

which

is

not easily quantifiable, are unfortunately

all

consequences associated with the diagnosis of schizophrenia.

"The most disturbing part of schizophrenia

65

is

the

Nutrition and the Mind

who may have vague

disturbance of thought. These are patients

symptoms, who go through periods of what German psychiatrists used to

call 'stage fright,'

and then something happens and they

start to believe that their

disordered perceptions represent true

events. Their strong belief in these disordered perceptions

transforms them into delusions, which are simply fixed, false beliefs. Patients will start to believe their delusions

and then

to believe their misinterpretation of a perceptual nature.

may hear a voice and believe that the voice is some

on

real event or real person. They'll act

would be,

if I

hear somebody calling

real

start

They

and represents

that.

An example

my name, if I don't think

it's

my thought anymore but that there really is somebody calling my name, I will act accordingly. If I think that people are looking at me and making faces, I might think there is something very wrong with me and feel bad or upset about If I'm eating my it.

meal and

there's a piece of moldy cheese,

poisoned and that someone did it to starts to escalate

"The most loss

might think

reality-test. it's

is

the loss of insight,

For instance,

if

you're driving

dark and hard to see, and you

see something at the side of the road, you might slow cautious, thinking that

somebody

enough and see

get close

is

down to be

going to cross the

that

it's

really just

I

was cautious.

original perception

If instead,

and

however, you

in the

66

else to

I'm

really believe that there's is

someone who trying to hurt

way of your vehicle, you might take evasive

action. In the process,

somebody

say,

start to distort the

might jump out on the road or that somebody

you and can get

street.

shrubs or a

mailbox or just part of the normal landscape, and you glad

been

me purposefully. The process

diabolical part of the illness

the street at night and

Then you

I've

and snowball.

of the ability to

down

I

you could have an accident or cause

have one. You

start to distort things

without

Schizophrenia

you are distorting them. That's similar

realizing that

happens when the

what

to

really disastrous part of the illness takes over.

"When you become paranoid and don't know why, you begin to

wonder, 'What

is it

me

about

saying bad things about me?' patient

who

It

bad?

that's so

compelled to

can become very serious.

call

— about

the White

this individual

House and

I

had

a

— and he

felt

FBI

that

protest to the

he was being hounded by President Reagan.

When

are people

believed that then-President Reagan was making

comments about him

it.

Why

he recovered he didn't believe

He

it,

firmly believed

but

when he was

delusional be firmly believed that the President was, in fact,

personally interfering with his

become all-consuming and

life.

Such paranoid delusions can

unfortunately very painful."

Hodes sketches the

Dr. Philip

history of the treatment of

schizophrenia in orthomolecular psychiatry as follows: "In the of schizophrenia, in the 1950s there were three pioneers in

field

orthomolecular psychiatry: Dr.

Osmond, and

Abram

who used

Humphry

large

amounts of

some of the other B

vitamins, to

Dr. John Smythies,

niacinamide, vitamin C, and

Hoffer, Dr.

help their schizophrenic patients recover. In the 1970s, Dr. Alan

Cott went to Russia and brought back the practice of

and helped

to detoxify

had not responded

them

to

many of the brains

"Today we

of schizophrenics

any other kind of treatment.

clear their brains so that they live in a state

fasting,

became

rational

He

who

helped

and normal.

of environmental pollution. There

are over 90,000 chemicals in the external environment that ingest through

what we

are in the

water,

soil,

eat, drink,

air,

and food

we

and breathe. Contaminants supply.

The

particles

which

are toxic penetrate and leak through the blood brain barrier over

time and get into the brain. This process also happens with several of the heavy toxic metals, such as lead, cadmium, copper, iron,

67

Nutrition and

Mind

tup:

arsenic, mercury,

and aluminum. These chemicals and heavy

metals,

by affecting brain chemistry,

so they

must be removed. They need

affect the

"In the Science Section of The 27, 1993, an article stated,

amalgam. The mercury antibiotics.' Dr.

in dental fillings

immune

of the people

may spur

resistance to

silver

when you chew,

mercury

the mercury

suppression and brain poisoning.

from things

like

and aluminum poisonings. These

iron,

in bacterial resistance,

who have developed

illnesses' are suffering

out.

York Times, on April

Hal Huggins has shown that the

released, causing

Many

be chelated

New

'New suspect

dental amalgams are very harmful; is

to

mind and behavior,

so-called 'mental

mercury, lead, copper,

toxic metals affect one's

thinking and behavior. People can develop bizarre behavior and distorted thinking, along with

Add

these toxic metals. pesticides,

warped perceptions,

to this toxic stew

and herbicides that we ingest

"The orthomolecular approach detoxify them, change their diets,

all

as a result of

the insecticides,

daily.

to schizophrenics

is

to

and remove foods that are

chemically treated, or that contain a

lot

of sugar and refined

carbohydrates, or that have been laced with pesticides.

Then

these patients are placed on the optimal doses of nutrients for their individual bodies.

complex

—

"The

many

The

nutrients used include vitamin

especially thiamine, niacin, pyridoxine (B 6 ), late Dr.

B

and B 12

Henry (Hank) Newbold demonstrated

.

that

of his schizophrenic psychiatric patients were suffering

from a vitamin B 12 'dependency' and that they needed large

and sane

Then

amounts

in order to feel well

went

orthomolecular doctors discovered that the essential

by,

minerals

— macro minerals such

as

again.

as the years

calcium and magnesium, as

well as the trace mineral elements zinc, manganese, chromium,

and selenium

68

—

also

helped balance the cerebral chemistry of

Schizophrenia schizophrenics. Dr. Priscilla Slagle published her research in a

book, Up

From Depression, showing the important role of amino

acids in the brain,

and in the treatment of manic depressives and

schizophrenics.

"You also have to look

the water supply.

at

Many water

supplies contain chemicals, such as iron, silicone, aluminum, fluoride,

and chlorine.

We

ingest

of these things and once

all

they hit the blood stream, they are rushed to trillion cells in

all

of the 64 to 67

the body. These toxins block out the opportunity

for the vital nutrients to

be absorbed.

"The basic constituents of the human body are

amino acids

proteins,

(the building blocks of proteins), carbohydrates, fats,

vitamins, minerals, oxygen, enzymes, nucleic acids, water,

and

electromagnetic and biomagnetic energy forms. If any of these are unbalanced or deficient, different conditions

and there are

and diseases can

a healthy diet: the soil our food

there have been

"When we and

toxic. In

all

arise.

grown

artificial fertilizers

refined, processed,

inundated with

is

and sprayed with

nutritional deficiencies,

Our

in has

put all

in;

diet

is

not really

been overworked; and the foods are

lands of chemicals and

lands of food coloring and dyes.

eat these foods

we become both malnourished

answer to those who

say,

vitamins. Just eat a well-balanced diet,'

I

'Oh, you don't need

say you can't get a well-

balanced diet and you do need extra nutrients to help stave off the deleterious effects of

all

the chemical pollutants in the

environment. With orthomolecular therapy," Dr. Hodes concludes,

"many people

feel a lot better

when they

get

more

nutrients than their diet gives them." Dr.

Abram Hoffer reminds

efforts involving critical to

the

us that very early treatment

orthomolecular psychiatry existed and were

field's

current resurgence: "The orthomolecular

69

Nutrition and the Mind treatment of schizophrenia was started in Saskatchewan in 1951

when we

ran the

double-blind controlled experiments in

first

North American medicine and psychiatry.

On

compared the

also the first in

worldwide

the basis of these experiments, where

B3

effect of vitamin

against a placebo,

we

we found

that the addition of the vitamin to the standard treatment of that day,

which was only electroconvulsant therapy, doubled the two-

year recovery rate from 35 percent to 70 percent. That was the beginning. "After that

we

ran another three double-blind controlled

experiments. Since that time clinical experience;

of

is

The treatment

really relatively simple.

modern

massive

myself have seen many thousands of

I

schizophrenic patients. patient

we have accumulated

It's

for the schizophrenic

a combination of the best

which includes the proper use of

psychiatry,

tranquilizers, antidepressants, or other drugs, with proper attention to diet

and the use of nutrients.

"The main nutrient large quantities. Its not in food.

One will have

in the standard dose.

mg

is

vitamin

enough

to give

B 3 which ,

has to be given in

to give the tiny

many thousands

For the patients

I

work

amount present

of times as with,

I

give

much 3000

per day of either nicotinic acid or nicotinamide, which are

both forms of vitamin "I also

a lot

B3

use vitamin

.

C

at

the

same dose

more because vitamin C

antioxidant.

It is

is

a very

level

and sometimes

good water-soluble

considered the foremost, the most active water-

soluble antioxidant present in the

human

body. That's extremely

important. "In

many cases,"

Dr. Hoffer continues,

as well for a particular

combined with an

70

"we use vitamin B

group of schizophrenic patients. This

overall nutritional

fi

is

approach that may also

Schizophrenia include the use of a very important mineral, zinc. Zinc and

B6

function together and are extremely important. "Finally,

we

use manganese to protect our patients against

developing tardive dyskinesia. This

a condition

is

who

chronic schizophrenic patients

which

afflicts

upon

are placed

quantities of tranquilizers. According to Dr. Richard

large

Kunin from

San Francisco, when you take tranquilizers for a long period of time you take manganese out of the body, which patients develop tardive dyskinesia.

When

is

the reason

you give them back

the manganese this condition goes away in most cases. "I

put

my patients on

a diet that

is

junk-free.

I

exclude any

of the prepared foods that contain additives, including sugar. also

of

pay attention to patients'

all

allergies,

I

because 50 or 60 percent

schizophrenics have major food allergies. If these are not

detected and eliminated, the patients are not going to get any better.

"This

there

is

is

essentially the treatment for schizophrenia, although

one more important variable

—the

patients themselves.

You have to take a lot of time dealing with schizophrenic patients. I

will just briefly

review what

I

have done recently.

re-examined 27 of my chronic schizophrenic patients

been working with

me

for at least ten years.

I

have

who have

They had been

sick

an average of seven years before they came to see me. They had all

failed to

respond to any of the standard treatments

tranquilizers, or

—drugs,

shock treatments. They had not been given any

vitamins. "I

me

did a survey of what happened to

for ten years.

Of the 27

them

after being with

really chronic patients, 17 today are

normal. They really are well. They're paying taxes. As an example,

one man from eastern Canada was a very paranoid schizophrenic.

He was

in

and out of the Ontario mental hospital system. He

71

Nutrition and the Mind treatment of schizophrenia was started in Saskatchewan in 1951

when we

ran the

double-blind controlled experiments in

first

also the first in

worldwide

the basis of these experiments,

where we

North American medicine and psychiatry.

On

compared the

effect of vitamin

B3

against a placebo,

we found

that the addition of the vitamin to the standard treatment of that day,

which was only electroconvulsant therapy, doubled the two-

year recovery rate from 35 percent to 70 percent. That was the beginning. "After that

we

ran another three double-blind controlled

we have accumulated massive myself have seen many thousands of

experiments. Since that time clinical experience;

I

The treatment

schizophrenic patients. patient

of

is

really relatively simple.

modern

It's

for the schizophrenic

a combination of the best

which includes the proper use of

psychiatry,

tranquilizers, antidepressants, or other drugs, with proper attention to diet

and the use of nutrients.

"The main nutrient large quantities. Its not in food. in the

mg

One will have

is

vitamin

enough

to give

B 3 which ,

has to be given in

to give the tiny

many thousands

standard dose. For the patients

I

work

amount present

of times as with,

I

give

much 3000

per day of either nicotinic acid or nicotinamide, which are

both forms of vitamin "I also

a lot

B3

use vitamin

.

C

at

the

same dose

more because vitamin C

antioxidant.

It is

is

a very

level

and sometimes

good water-soluble

considered the foremost, the most active water-

soluble antioxidant present in the

human

body. That's extremely

important. "In

many cases,"

Dr. Hoffer continues,

as well for a particular

combined with an

70

"we use vitamin B 6

group of schizophrenic patients. This

overall nutritional

is

approach that may also

Schizophrenia include the use of a very important mineral, zinc. Zinc and

B6

function together and are extremely important. "Finally,

we

use manganese to protect our patients against

developing tardive dyskinesia. This

a condition which

is

who

chronic schizophrenic patients

afflicts

upon

are placed

quantities of tranquilizers. According to Dr. Richard

large

Kunin from

San Francisco, when you take tranquilizers for a long period of time you take manganese out of the body, which patients develop tardive dyskinesia.

When

is

the reason

you give them back

the manganese this condition goes away in most cases. "I

put

my patients

on a

diet that

is

junk-free.

I

exclude any

of the prepared foods that contain additives, including sugar. also

of

pay attention to patients'

all

allergies,

I

because 50 or 60 percent

schizophrenics have major food allergies. If these are not

detected and eliminated, the patients are not going to get any better.

"This

there

is

is

essentially the treatment for schizophrenia, although

one more important variable

—the

patients themselves.

You have to take a lot of time dealing with schizophrenic patients. I

will just briefly

review what

I

have done recently.

re-examined 27 of my chronic schizophrenic patients

been working with

me

for at least ten years.

I

have

who have

They had been

sick

an average of seven years before they came to see me. They had all

failed to

respond to any of the standard treatments

tranquilizers, or

—drugs,

shock treatments. They had not been given any

vitamins. "I

me

did a survey of what happened to

for ten years.

Of the 27

them

after

being with

really chronic patients, 17 today are

normal. They really are well. They're paying taxes. As an example,

one man from eastern Canada was a very paranoid schizophrenic.

He was

in

and out of the Ontario mental hospital system.

He 71

Nutrition and the Mind

was so him.

sick that his wife divorced

him and

He moved out west to Victoria and was

his family

disowned

living as a

homeless

person there for awhile.

"He came under my care and remained on

my

surprise.

Three or four years ago he got

local university

for a job.

who

I

here and the

think this

is

last

time

the vitamins, to

his

degree

at

the

saw him he was looking

I

quite an accomplishment for

someone

v/as a very sick patient.

woman who, in a psychotic frenzy, She now runs her own business and

"Another patient was a

burned down her house.

supervises 12 people. These are examples of

some of the

recoveries we've had.

"The other ten are not well

yet.

Some may never be

well

because they've been sick for too long, but they're certainly an awful

lot

better than they

now comfortable. delusions they

"This

is

were when we found them. They're

They're able to

still

live

with any hallucinations or

have.

a very chronic group of patients, the kind that

—going back

normally don't respond. The important thing

to the

view that you have to expect slow, progressive improvement rather than any sudden cure

—

is

that

it

took five to seven years of

continuous treatment before they reached their current stage of

improvement. "Acute patients, patients who have only been sick for a year,

do a

lot better,

that if

of course," Dr. Hoffer reminds us. "I fully expect

see 100 schizophrenic patients

I

year or two or

less, after

all

I

the 17 young

fact,

men and

mentioned above who made complete recoveries had

become schizophrenic

in their teens.

vitamin treatment in various parts of

72

sick a

two years of this kind of treatment 95

percent of them will be well. In

women

who have been

They were placed upon

Canada and the United

Schizophrenia

These 17 young men and

States.

Today they are practicing Medical School and

psychiatry.

now

is

women

went

all

into medicine.

One went

a doctor in Boston.

Harvard

to

One became

a

president of a major psychiatric association in North America.

The other members of that a history of having

association did not

been psychotic

at

know that he had

one time. That's a pretty

good record." Dr. Garry Vickar emphasizes the holistic foundation of the

treatment approach he prefers.

"I

think in any chronic

illness,

such as schizophrenia, you have to maximize the person's whole functioning. don't

want

You want

to have an

to

make them

as healthy as possible.

imbalance where your

left

arm

maximally in shape because you're a pitcher but the

is

You

really

rest of

you

You have to have the whole organism as healthy as possible.

is flab.

"If, in fact,

deficiencies of

people have abnormal thinking because of

B 12 maybe they have ,

a lack of an

enzyme

in their

stomach that doesn't carry out the necessary conversion of B 12 into

what the body needs. These people have a disease

called

pernicious anemia that can result in their becoming paranoid.

Once

person

in awhile vou'll find a

intrinsic factor.

You have to

give

who

lacks this thing called

B 12 supplements to prevent them

from becoming paranoid and from developing nervous system signs

and symptoms and

better.

gait disturbances.

So there are simple things

and which,

in this

like that

With B 12 they get which can be done

modern age, can get overlooked by conventional

physicians. "I

check for magnesium

adolescents

who

and manganese

manganese level

is

is

drink a levels

lot

levels in all

of soda pop.

because there

is

my patients, I

also

irritability,

zinc, copper,

some evidence

implicated in tardive dyskinesia.

implicated in

do

especially

that

low

A low magnesium

nervousness, even nerve

73

Nutrition and the Mind conduction problems and seizures. The worst-case scenario

is

a

premenopausal woman who just had a baby, was on birth control prior to her pregnancy,

pills

is

on prenatal vitamins, and goes

back on the pill after the baby is born. levels,

She'll

have sky-high copper

almost toxic relative to zinc.

"With the schizophrenic patient

I

use niacinamide or niacin

(more frequently niacinamide because most patients won't I

come up

look for a

with.

I

a day with an equal

complex with 50

we

of what

Abram Hoffer

minimum

of 3000

mg of niacinamide

amount of vitamin C.

to 150

balance, depending a dose until

much

tend to use

tolerate niacin).

mg

I

recommend

has

B

a

B complex, mineral

of the entire

upon zinc and copper levels.

We try to titrate

reach a level of improvement with the least

amount of medicine and the amount of vitamin and mineral supplements that the patient can

tolerate."

Dr. Vickar continues, expressing the broad philosophy of his

treatment of schizophrenic patients:

have been diagnosed

as

is

it

hasn't captured the

going on with that patient.

I

who

have patients

having schizophrenia, and while

argue with the diagnosis,

what

"I

I

don't

whole essence of

prefer to see

it

as

an

incomplete diagnosis, rather than as a misdiagnosis. Very often the goal, in the schizophrenic diagnosis,

When

is

just to

subdue behavior.

people are in such states of distress that their behavior

inappropriate, or agitated, or out of control, the goal to treat that behavior.

I

think that there

have to try to understand why the patient is

doing

is is

is

is

primarily

more we can

do.

We

doing what he or she

— not necessarily psychologically,

but in some way

biochemically.

"We are.

don't

know what

Each new drug

that

into such disarray that

74

it

the ultimate causes of schizophrenia

comes along throws the current theory doesn't apply anymore, because the

new

Schizophrenia

drug doesn't work the way that those preceding

it

did.

think that anybody knows the causes, but there

is

one thing that

we

We

are sure of:

schizophrenic

is

can make a big difference

So

in

I

don't

how

doing by applying two basic principles,

a

as Dr.

Hoffer has indicated: good sound nutrition and vitamin supplements.

"These are not synonymous. Nutrition has to be the floor

upon which the treatment start

is

looking at other factors

built.

Then,

—whether

it

after that,

you have

to

be smoking, co-existing

alcohol-related problems, dietary disturbances, or absorption difficulties. Also,

the patient

they have been given

is,

may not be doing well because what more problems. So we

in fact, creating

have to be sensitive to such reactions to treatment and continue to

modify the treatment

approach

much

I

find to

all

be most useful

a missed diagnosis as

way

the

it is

is

And

along.

again, the

that schizophrenia

is

not so

an incomplete one."

Schizophrenia and Alcoholism Dr.

Abram Hoffer

estimates that about ten percent of

schizophrenic patients are also alcoholic.

he adds,

"if you

is

not a big figure,"

remember that ten percent of all

America are probably proportion

"It's

all

adults in

North

alcoholic. In other words, the

same

present in schizophrenics. If you

start

the other

way, a certain percentage of alcoholics are, in fact, also schizophrenic. There "It

is

an overlap.

has been acknowledged for

particular group that have both

The

first

many

problems

is

years that this

very tough to

treat.

person to really show that you can help them was Dr.

David Hawkins, who was then practicing on Long found that when he placed

Island.

He

his alcoholic schizophrenic patients

75

"

Nutrition \\n the Mind

on the proper vitamin treatment, including mostly niacin and vitamin C, he began to see a fantastic "I

number of recoveries.

have seen some recoveries, but not

as

many

as

he

has.

I

can

attest to the fact that patients

for

both conditions. This treatment includes niacin or niacinic

acid and the other vitamins that

do a lot better if they are treated

I

use for the treatment of these

conditions. "I

think that whether or not they are alcoholic they have to

be treated the same way. stop drinking.

The

to join Alcoholics

"Howard:"

best

If they're alcoholic

way

to achieve that

is

it's

they

vital that

to try to get

them

Anonymous."

A Personal Account of Schizophrenia

"My illness started around 1977. when I developed

a persecution complex and delusions ofgrandeur. I was seeing about three different psychiatrists and they were unable to help me.

thought

I

was manic-depressive.

treated for schizophrenia, which "Dr.

One I

is

psychiatrist

wasn't being

what I have.

Vickar, with the orthomolecular approach,

made me well again, and I really owe him a lot. Now I am on a regimen of vitamins and antipsychotic drugs. The vitamins, I effects

am

told,

enhance

of the drugs so that I don 't have

doses of the drugs in order to remain

Before I got on

any

good

take high

normal or stable.

regimen I had not been taking

vitamins. Using the orthomolecidar approach to

help treat

and have

76

this

to

the

my schizophrenia, I basically feel normal my life back again.

JO. Tardive Dyskinesia Tardive dyskinesia

is

a neurological condition which, as

name implies, is one of late onset, that is, tardive. to

abnormal movement. Tardive dyskinesia

movements

neurological

Dyskinesia refers

refers to the

abnormal

that occur after a patient has spent a

period of time on certain kinds of medicines. is

its

reduced or eliminated, the patient

When the

starts to

medicine

demonstrate these

abnormal movements. The movements typically involve disturbances around the mouth, the face

smacking of

lips,

—involuntary

twitching around the face.

varying levels of severity and

may involve

According to Dr. Garry Vickar,

"It

They can occur

used to be said that tardive is

not true now.

years ago there was a massive report that show

those physicians in orthomolecular psychiatry

who were

what the

factor was that prevented the

We

emergence

of TD. At one point, most of us thought that the addition of

might be the

factor.

probably vitamin

E

Subsequent research has shown that

with

its

antioxidant capacity.

77

eel

using

vitamins did not have any patients with tardive dyskinesia. tried to analyze

at

the entire body.

dyskinesia was untreatable, but that certainly

Around 15

blinking,

it

B6 is

— Nutrition and the Mind

'The patients

me

to

after having

seen with tardive dyskinesia usually come

I've

been treated with drugs

for a very long time.

These are patients who have been on antipsychotic medications. If they're

on an antipsychotic drug and they don't

psychotic or a schizophrenic

mood disorder given

example, somebody with a

drug

is

at

illness, they're at

in fact

higher

have a

risk.

For

an antipsychotic

higher risk for developing tardive dyskinesia.

"Typically those with tardive dyskinesia are patients

who

have been treated for schizophrenia over the course of many years.

The ravages of the illness are combined with the cumulative

The older antipsychotic drugs

effects of the medicine.

Thorazine, chlorpromazine, Stelazine, Prolixin, Haldol a certain part of the brain is

tied in with

in

where the neurotransmitter function

movements. The implication

these drugs over the long term can lead to

"Attempts to remedy

this

likely to

is

that treatment with

movement

disorders.

have resulted in the creation of

newer antipsychotic medications such These are allegedly less

—work

as Clozaril

and Risperdal.

cause tardive dyskinesia because

they work on different centers of the brain. They relieve some of the schizophrenic symptoms without the potential for tardive dyskinesia.

These drugs haven't been out long enough

to

know if

they will cause other side effects. Clearly we haven't had enough

time to

know if the newer drugs

ultimately will or will not cause

similar problems.

"To treat tardive dyskinesia you have to walk a fine

You have

to help patients reinstitute the very

implicated in causing call

neurologists

in.

it

medicine that

to relieve the dyskinesia.

They may have

line.

Sometimes

is

I

to use, in very interesting

combinations, some of the antiseizure medicines that have antispasmodic effects.

"We used to

78

think,

many years

ago, that the crucial missing

Tardive Dyskinesia

B6

ingredient in patients with tardive dyskinesia was vitamin turns out that

it is

probably vitamin

E

that

.

It

the protective

is

element necessary with regard to TD. "I treat

of vitamins.

TD patients with choline and lecithin and large doses The choline and

lecithin are tied in with the

presumptive mechanism of action of If there's

then

what

abnormal movement.

an imbalance in the different neurochemical pathways, thought that the choline and lecithin

it is

is

this

will

called the phosphytotyl choline pathway.

lecithin so

you don't have to give

as

You add the

much choline, because choline

tends to lead to a very fishy smell in the body. this brings a

help along

It is

presumed that

balance back, or re-establishes the proper chemical

balance in the brain to relieve the abnormal movements. "If the chemical

pathways

in the brain

use of Haldol and other drugs, there

were altered by the

may have been a disturbance

of the intricate balance of neurochemicals necessary to coordinate

smooth movements. The presumption is that choline and lecithin will

help correct the imbalance that was created by the traditional

antipsychotic drugs.

"In sum, lecithin,

I

use a balance of

vitamins, lots of choline and

manganese where appropriate, and sometimes

to call in a neurologist to see give,

B

depending on the

I

have

what treatments they might want to

level of severity of the problem."

79

Organic Conditions

Commonly Misdiagnosed as Mental Disease

Hlood Sugar Instability (Hypoglycemia)

11.

According to Dr. Hyla Cass, people with hypoglycemia are often diagnosed as though they have simple depression and anxiety,

and then treated

for a psychological condition.

"They

are put on anti-anxiety agents such as Valium or Xanax. If they

are extremely depressed as well as anxious, they are put on

antidepressants such as Prozac. I've had people

medication that wanted to go off of

it.

It

come

to

me on

turned out that they

were hypoglycemic. "You can replace antidepressants with amino

and

cofactors, vitamins for

adds.

"When depressed

amino acid metabolism,"

patients

come

to see

me who

put them on a hypoglycemic

hypoglycemic,

I

approximately

six

chromium

acids, minerals,

small meals a day Also,

for balancing their

magnesium, glutamine, and natural antidepressant.

It's

norepinephrine, which

is

I

diet,

Dr. Cass

are also

which

is

have them take

blood sugar levels. tyrosine. Tyrosine

I

also give

is

them

an excellent

a precursor to the neurotransmitter

one of the brain chemicals that helps

us feel eood.

83

Nutrition and the Mind

"Hypoglycemia can

result

from a combination of stress and

poor eating habits, particularly in people genetically predisposed to this condition.

The

ways: depression,

irritability, anxiety,

fog,'

disorder can present itself in a variety of

panic attacks, fatigue, 'brain

headaches including migraines, insomnia, muscular

weakness, and tremors,

There can be cravings

all

of which

may be

relieved

by food.

for sweets, coffee, alcohol, or drugs.

"In fact," Dr. Cass continues, to hypoglycemia. Coffee

"many

addictions are related

and sugar consumed by recovering

alcohol or drug addicts only prolong their problem, though in a less

dangerous, more socially acceptable form.

to note the large

Alcoholics

(It is

interesting

amount of these substances consumed

Anonymous meetings,

for example,

at

and on psychiatric

wards.)

"Such individuals can often overcome coffee, drug, and alcohol addiction through correcting their hypoglycemia, with

minimal withdrawal symptoms or later cravings. For recovering alcoholics, for example,

I

recommend the hypoglycemic regimen

described below plus the amino acid glutamine, 500 mg, three to six times daily,

which

is

particularly useful to counteract

cravings.

"The following hypoglycemia program

is

designed to both

strengthen the adrenals and maintain adequate blood sugar levels: *

Elimination of refined carbohydrates (sugar, white flour), coffee,

*

and

alcohol.

Small, frequent meals of complex carbohydrates,

high fiber foods, and protein. *

Daily supplementation with a multivitamin/mineral

complex that includes (otherwise add) 200-600 meg

mg magnesium, 10-20 mg 500-1,000 mg potassium, 50-75 mg B

chromium, 200-400 manganese,

84

Blood Sugar

vitamin C. These supplements can be dhided

into doses taken

Dr.

(Hypoglycemia)

500 mg pantothenic acid (vitamin B 5 ), 3,000

vitamins,

mg

Instability

Leander

two

to three times daily."

Ellis suggests that

brought on by a variety of causal others stress-related, Dr. Ellis explains,

still

a

"is

I

phenomenon

some

that can

intestinal tract,

allergic effects

as a disease.

be triggered by

amounts of sugar that

see hypoglycemia as a

problem, rather than

circumstantial,

others environmental. "Hypoglycemia,"

encourage the growth of yeast in the

subtle effects.

some

factors,

allergy, infection, exhaustion, or large

in turn, gives rise to

hypoglycemia can be

which then,

and a variety of other

symptom of

a larger

Most of the time there

are

other important causes to account for the roller-coastering of

the blood-sugar levels. Candida, yeast. a person

is

The

The most common one

next most likely cause

is

not only gorging on sugar, but

not only gorging on chocolate, but

is

is

food

is

probablv

allergy.

Often,

allergic to sugar,

allergic to chocolate.

is

So

you get a curious combination of Candida, yeast mold, fungus allergy,

and

allergy to foods.

You usually have

to control these

several elements, as well as to get adequate nutritional support, in order to quiet these

symptoms down.

"Candida is a major factor in hypoglycemia, depression, and chronic fatigue that the medical profession has continued to ignore, despite the research results that are available to the

medical community. The major reason for is

this

is

that medicine

taught by prestige suggestion, meaning a doctor needs someone

he or she

trusts to tell

people that

we

him what

is

important. Unfortunately, the

doctors have the most contact with after we leave

medical school are drug company representatives. Therefore, until a learned professor at

an Ivy League medical school

that Candida

it

is

a problem,

tells

us

doesn't exist."

85

— Nutrition and the Mind

WarreD Levin explains the

Dr.

hypoglycemia,

"Hypoglycemia

people take

special characteristics.

its

problem

a basic

is

When

induced.

some of

as well as

basic physiology of

that

frequently

is

si

dose of sugar into the bodv

a large

and one cola drink contains more sugar than the entire bloodstream

the level ot sugar in the body goes

.

commitment

the body's entire

equilibrium

produces

the technical

a basic

hormone

is

word

homeostasis

called insulin that it

Now.

up.

maintain balam

to

is

the sugar from the blood and deliver

way

The body

.

supposed

is

into the cells,

to take

and when

the sugar goes up very rapidly the body reacts excessively resulting in too

much

sugar being driven out ot the blood, and

that produces low blood

or Irvpoglvcemia.

suo;ar.

has to correct the balance again, and :

:\i