In
the before mentioned study, women were given two amounts of L-theanine. Some of
the women were given 50 mg. and others were given 200 mg. once a week. The brain waves of the women were measured
and the women who took the 200 mg., produced more alpha waves and were more
relaxed, then when given the lower amounts.
The results of the study were published in a June 1999 issue of “Trends
in Food Science & Technology” .Green tea could be a great alternative for
some coffee drinkers or it could replace coffee in the afternoon, for some
drinkers.
I did a lot of research as I was recovering and still stick to making sure
my diet is the most important thing I do daily. I read some writing
by a
doctor named Michael W. Smith, MD, and he talked about the importance of
setting a schedule and trying to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at
approximately the same time each day. Dr. Smith said that eating on
a
schedule would enable one to keep the day predictable, and he felt that
eating meals at the same time everyday and a couple of healthy snacks was
the way to go. He believes that skipping meals and eating too late
at night
can end up being disastrous for many people, both physically and mentally.
Many studies over the years have shown that the recovery from and the
treatment of depression can cause weight gain or loss. The
medications you
take can sometimes have to do with weight fluctuations and with a person’s
change of attitude. If you notice this happening to you, do not
necessarily
hit the panic, but do seek out your doctor for a consultation and
professional evaluation.
Looking good and feeling good is something that many of us strive for every
day and really desire. There is nothing wrong with that because the
Good
Lord only gave us one body and we owe it to Him to take care of our
beautiful bodies. Watching alcohol consumption and supplementing
that with
healthy juices and things like smoothies can be so important. I have
been
advising this to so many friends over the last year as I did much research
for this book. You can kill two birds with one stone by staying fit
and
feeling good about the state of your physical and mental
health. Just try
this for a couple of weeks and I bet that you will notice the
positive
benefits quickly.
Chapter 9
Supplements That Can Change Your Life
“To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to
keep our mind strong and mind clear. Buddha
Besides being put on Paxil to combat my bouts of OCD
four years ago, taking
some supplements or vitamins and eating well have really changed my
life.
Numerous studies continue to show how some supplements can help one with
depression and OCD. Many of us know about supplements like St. John’s
Wort’s and the benefits associated with it. Before
many anti-depressants came on to the
market
St. John’s Wort was a powerful supplement many liked. There are other positive reports about other
supplements are surfacing.
One of the biggest changes I have made in my life was to start a regular
regimen of taking Omega-3 supplements three times a day. I do not
know if
it is something mental for me or if it is really making a physical
difference for me, but I feel awesome. Feeling so good physically
has
enabled me to feel good emotionally, and there are some probable
explanations for this, which I want to share with you.
According to BJ Holub, a professor from the
Department of Human Biology and
Nutritional Sciences at the University
of Guelph,
Omega 3 fatty acids are
polyunsaturated fatty acids that are considered essential because they
cannot be synthesized by the human body. Omega-3 is found particularly
in cold
ocean fish like sardines, Alaskan salmon, mackerel and
anchovies. They are
also found in flax, canola, walnuts and hemp, according to Holub.
Omega-3 has been known for years to benefit one’s heart and cardiovascular
well-being, but it seems to be doing other positive things, as
well.
Research has shown that Omega-3 may also help a person’s mental health,
and
I can say that it has really helped me. These studies have shown a
link
between low levels of Omega-3 and major depression in people. As I
studied
Omega-3, I was excited to see that it is something else I can take with my
medication. I have made it a ritual to take Omega-3 supplements
daily and
have never felt better mentally.
There are DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acids) found in fish oil tablets. DHA levels are found to be low in alcoholics and that is because alcohol depletes DHA levels, and might be why many alcoholics are depressed. This could be an important fact that could not only help people that are depressed but also people suffering from chemical dependencies.
I
remember reading something extremely interesting from a study done by the Harvard Medical School,
that could help pregnant women. It
suggested that women may become depressed during post partum period because of
having low levels of DHA fatty acids.
Apparently babies, in the womb, crave DHA to help in the formations of
their brains. They can use a lot of
their mother’s DHA, that are stored in their bodies, and this can help cause
the post partum depression some mother’s have.
There are some other beneficial elements of taking Omega-3 fatty
acids.
Over the years, studies have shown that Omega-3, can help alleviate the pain
associated with arthritis. Also, it appears that Omega-3 consumption by
some mothers, during their pregnancy, can help with their babies’ brain
development, according to Joyce Nettleson, who is
considered an expert on
good fats.
I am fortunate to live in Pennsylvania,
and to live near Burman’s Natural
Foods Store in Brookhaven, PA. This store has its own Super Omega-3
supplements, which are produced exclusively for the store and molecularly
distilled for supreme purity.
Whether you use their Omega 3 or other products make sure they do not contain a
lot of Mercury because that can be harmful to your health. The distilling
process removes the PCB’s, dioxins, lead, and mercury that can be food in some
saltwater fish. Check out Burman’s at
www.BurmansNaturalFoods.com. The
owner is Marty Burman, and he can give you
some great advice on Omega-3 and the possible benefits with brain
functionality.
A study by Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, of the National
Institutes of Health, has
shown that higher national consumption of some fish equals lower rates of
depression, in comparison to countries that consume lower amounts of fish.
Additional research has shown that areas of the world that lower their
intake of Omega-3 have seen increasing rates of depression.
I have found that consumption of Omega-3 may continue to be a huge
breakthrough in helping people to deal with their depression and feel great
again. Some studies have also shown that many people suffering from
depression have had low levels of Omega-3 in their bloodstreams. The way I
have always looked at it has been that Omega-3 can help raise HDL levels,
which is good cholesterol, in your blood stream and, if it can help you
mentally, then why not take it.
These studies are significant to individuals like you and me who are
suffering from OCD and other forms of depression. Evidence of the value of
Omega-3s is strong and worth discussing with a doctor. We all have
different bodies and different makeups so I would
talk with your doctor
before getting on a regular regimen. From the bottom of my heart, I
can say
that with taking my Paxil ( I take 40 mg.) per day
and Omega-3, I have never
felt better physically, emotionally, and mentally.
According to a great friend of mine, Jon Gordon, author of Energy Addict and
The 10-Minute Energy Solution, there are other foods that can also help with
bolstering levels of serotonin. These foods include bananas and
blueberries
because they are full of vitamins like B6, which helps with the body’s
production of serotonin. So, before working out everyday I combine bananas
with my protein shakes to increase my mood and energy and to feel so
good.
Gordon also recommends walnuts and some other nuts in a small handfuls. Nuts
contain Vitamin E, and walnuts have Omega-3 fatty acids in
them. Gordon
mentions in his books that some of these nuts and fruits are great to add to
shakes and to smoothies if you are a huge fan of them, as I am.
And I have saved the best news for the last. In his book, Gordon
also has
listed Dark Chocolate in small amounts as having chemically active compounds
that can improve your mood and also help to raise serotonin levels in the
brain. Dark Chocolate obviously has calories in it, but like
anything in
life, if consumed in moderation it could help you function better
mentally.
And, another a benefit with chocolate is that it can help you to concentrate
better, and hey, we can all use that.
I have added these supplements and foods to my diet in the last year, and
the change has been extraordinary. I would be remiss if I did not
mention
that Green Tea is another great supplement that is so good for you to help
loss weight and to fight illnesses such as some forms of cancer. It is hard
not to go to a store and see all the juices that now contain Green Tea and
all the boxes of Green Tea tablets that companies are selling, so there must
be some truth to this. I am sure there will be More studies to determine if
this is true, but I will continue to take them because of what I have read
about the benefits of this supplement.
According to Nancy Schimelpfening, a woman
with a BS degree in Biology and
a MS degree in Community Health Education, another supplement that can
benefit you against depression and anxiety is the Vitamin B complex. Mrs.
Schimelpfening stated that B1 or thiamin is a vitamin
that the brain uses to
convert glucose or blood sugar into fuel and that without Vitamin B, the
brain runs out of energy. She says that without it, a person can
feel
depressed or anxious, or even have suicidal thoughts. I thank God
that
there are great people out there who have carried out studies like
this to
help educate us.
Researchers have also found that a lack of Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5
(Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) can
have negative effects on your your mental functions.