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cates a high-quality source. You can safely combine it with GABA, and
some formulations do combine them. Based on research, GABA starts
relaxing the mind thirty to forty minutes after ingestion. Another option
is to drink one or two cups of green tea daily.
Tryptophan and 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5-HTP)
Principal use: For depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
What else you should know: The amino acid tryptophan (also known
as L-tryptophan) is the precursor to serotonin, and serotonin is really just
a more biologically active form of tryptophan. It has a powerful calming,
antianxiety, and antidepressant effect. Low intake of tryptophan reduces
serotonin production and activity in the brain.
Tryptophan is available by prescription, although a few companies do
sell it over the counter. More readily available over the counter is
5-hydroxytryptophan, also known as 5-HTP, which is the immediate
precursor to serotonin.
Dosage: For anxiety, depression, or restless sleep, take 50 to 200 mg
of 5-HTP daily, with the last dosage about thirty to sixty minutes before
bedtime. For tryptophan, take 500 to 3,000 mg before bed. With either
form of the supplement, start with the lower end of the dosage range.
THE FI RST STEP: TAKE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS 79
Tyrosine
Principal use: To treat depression or occasional down feelings.
What else you should know: Tyrosine (also known as L-tyrosine) is an
amino acid and a precursor for the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and
dopamine. In high doses, it can help to treat some cases of depression.
It may be particularly beneficial for people who lack motivation and
drive, have poor sexual arousal, and sleep excessively.
Nearly everyone has occasional down days, in which they temporar-
ily feel often for inexplicable reasons a little depressed. A low dose
of tyrosine, along with vitamin B12, can often lift this mood within an
hour or two.
Dosage: For the occasional down day, take 500 mg of tyrosine and
500 mcg of sublingual vitamin B12 with water and at least twenty min-
utes before consuming any other beverage or food in the morning. For
more serious and prolonged depression, try 500 to 3,500 mg in the
morning, at least twenty minutes before eating. It s all right to take a sec-
ond dose midafternoon without food.
Herbs That Improve Mood and Behavior
Action plan: Herbs contain hundreds of natural ingredients, some of
which have nutritional activity and others that are similar to certain pre-
scription medications. Although herbal remedies are generally safe, they
may increase or decrease the activity of prescription drugs you might
also be taking. If you find yourself taking more than four to six supple-
ments without experiencing clear benefits, it s time to start working with
a nutritionally oriented physician. You ll find ways to locate a nutritional
physician in the appendix. Don t be reluctant to spend the money your
improved well-being will be worth every penny.
St. John s Wort
Principal use: To relieve mild to moderate depression, although it may
be of some help with severe depression and anxiety and premenstrual
syndrome.
80 THE FOOD- MOOD SOLUTI ON
What else you should know: Although occasional news reports and
medical journal articles try to dismiss the benefits of St. John s wort
(Hypericum perforatum), the herb is one of the most effective treatments
for mild to moderate depression. In high dosages, it might also help in
severe depression.
The scientific evidence supporting the use of St. John s wort for
depression is extensive and persuasive. In direct comparisons,
researchers have consistently found that it works just as well as, if not
better than, conventional prescription treatments for depression. For
example, studies have found that St. John s wort has better results than
Prozac (fluoxetine) and Zoloft (sertraline) and is equal to Tofranil
(imipramine) in treating mild to moderate depression. The herb was
also more effective than Paxil (paraxetine) in treating severe depres-
sion and better than Tofranil in reducing anxiety. Furthermore, St.
John s wort causes few side effects compared with drugs. Drug side
effects include reduced interest in sex and erectile dysfunction in
men which, ironically, are reasons to feel depressed! Occasionally,
taking these drugs will lead to an increase in suicidal thoughts and
behavior.
St. John s wort is widely used to treat depression in Europe, where
herbs have been used medicinally for at least two thousand years, but the
U.S. pharmaceutical industry has convinced most American physicians
that its higher-priced drugs are superior. The herb can also help to alle-
viate symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, including anxiety, depres-
sion, nervous tension, confusion, and crying.
Dosage: The chemical constituents of St. John s wort will vary
between batches, so shop for a standardized product. (This will be iden-
tified and explained on the label.) For depression, take 300 mg three
times daily. If this dosage fails to help after one month, try doubling it
for several weeks. On rare occasions, St. John s wort may increase eye
and skin sensitivity to sunlight. It will also improve liver function so that
medications (including oral contraceptives and chemotherapeutic
agents) break down faster and may be less effective.
Note: Work with your physician if you want to transition from an anti-
depressant drug to St. John s wort. Do not combine St. John s wort with
any antidepressant drugs except under the guidance of your doctor.
THE FI RST STEP: TAKE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS 81
Ginkgo
Principal use: For memory, mental function, and premenstrual symp-
toms.
What else you should know: Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a venerable
Chinese herb whose benefits in mental function are now being con-
firmed by scientific studies. Fuzzy thinking can impair judgment, and
poor memory can contribute to feelings of frustration and anxiety.
Studies have shown that ginkgo supplements increase blood circula-
tion in the brain and activate brain activity. In an animal study,
researchers found that ginkgo extracts boosted the activity of ten essen-
tial genes in brain cells by up to sixteen times. One of the genes influ-
enced the hippocampus, the brain s center of learning and memory. The
other nine genes affected the cerebral cortex, which controls memory,
speech, logical and emotional responses, and voluntary physical move-
ments. Another gene influenced the activity of tyrosine, the amino acid
precursor to norepinephrine and dopamine. In a British study,
researchers gave college students either 240 or 360 mg of ginkgo
extracts or placebos. The students memories and the speed of their
thinking processes improved after taking ginkgo.
Researchers at Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, found
that ginkgo extracts improved various thinking processes in patients
with multiple sclerosis. The subjects experienced an improvement in
attention, planning, and decision making. All of the patients had previ-
ously sustained cognitive impairments as part of their multiple sclerosis.
Dosage: Take 240 to 360 mg of standardized ginkgo extract daily.
Divide the amounts, and take them two or three times daily.
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