Nutritional Healing + Brain Chemistry Balancing For Eating Disorders

I'll be speaking on Brain Chemistry Balancing through Target Nutrition Therapy® at the International Conference on Nutrition & Food Sciences, Valencia, Spain 23-24th of Sept 2014. Complete Speaker program will be up here.

 

3 Things That Matter More Than What's On Your Plate.

Christina Santini offers nutrition target therapy + coaching + meditation/yoga .

Your body's biochemical functioning + brain chemical rebalancing takes place ONLY during those deep layers of sleep. If you are not sleeping at 10PM which is where we know from Ayurvedic Medicine that our body's main healing takes place, your body is simply not capable of healing from whatever stressors it has encountered during the day - that means that you can be an overly fanatic health-nut, cutting out this and that and carrying around Spirulina bags and whatnot, and yet you will suffer from a body that is slowly but surely breaking down.

Hormones such as testosterone and insulin are STRONGLY sensitive to sleep and the way you deal with stress.

In other words, if you can't seem to be losing that stubborn fat (particularly abdominal fat is due to an imbalance in testosterone/estrogen), and your energy levels are going down the drain - and especially for any sexual dysfunction - you may want to reconsider your sleep and meditation habits.

And if the word habit is not part of these practices, well, then you don't need to look at what's on your plate to improve your health in these areas - because it's a waste of time before your sleep and stress management tools are in place. Before that happens, your blood labs will be reflecting hormonal imbalances that are all over the map, including borderline diabetic tendencies. And this is true, EVEN if you eat a strict low-carb Paleo diet or whatnot. Doesn't matter - sort out your sleep and take some herbs that will help you calm down your mind. Everything else will fall into place after that.

Managing your nutrition before your sleep habits is like painting a house before the fundament is laid out.

Reference: J Pediatr. 2007 Apr;150(4):364-9. Association between inadequate sleep and insulin resistance in obese children. Flint J et al.

High candy intake linked to lack of impulse control.

Sugar addiction rewires your brain and affects
the neurotransmitters involved in impulse control.

A study comparing children’s candy intake to conviction of crime in adulthood suggests that there is a link. Children who ate candy daily at age 10 were more likely to have been convicted of crime at age 34 years.  69 % of people convicted of violent crimes at age 34 reported eating candy every day in childhood. In comparison only 42 % of the nonviolent study participants ate candy frequently. The scientists speculate that this correlation may be due to lack of impulse control, as they become used to instant gratification. 

Another explanation is that their brain chemistry suffers from a diet high in candy and low in nutrients; ultimately leading to poor brain functioning in impulsive behavior. The average person eats 153 pounds of sugar a year, which is equivalent to over half a cup a day. The average teenage boy eats twice as much sugar as any other age or sex group. Sugar is one of the major components of our diet, and any relation between sugar and behavior is of major interest. There is a plenty of information on sugar and children. However, much of it is controversial: some research shows that it does cause hyperactivity and aggressiveness. Other research shows that it does not seem to cause abnormal behavior. Research by Alexander Schauss, author of Diet, Crime and Delinquency, shows that when sugar is removed from children’s diet, their school grades go up. 

Basically, sugar cravings are a symptom of an imbalance in your brain chemistry. When you self-medicate on high-sugary foods you experience a short-term relief due to the release of serotonin as well as a spike in blood-sugar levels. Both of which makes us feel good instantly. However, this type of self-medication leads to a gradual nutrient depletion. Once the high of the sugar rush wears off, you will be craving your next fix – you are caught in a vicious cycle. 

There are certain associations with specific neurotransmitter deficiencies and food cravings. 

Here is an overview to determine what you might be lacking based on the symptoms you are experiencing:

Craving                   Symptom                          Brain Chemical               Natural Remedy
Sweet + Caffeine -> Weight + Low Energy->  Dopamine  -> Tyrosine, B12, Ginseng, Green Tea

Fatty Foods   ->  Memory + Attention issue->Acetylcholine -> Choline, Omega-3, B-complex

Carbs + Alcohol ->  Anxiety + Sleep issue -> Serotonin or GABA-> Inositol, NAC, Tryptophan

To pinpoint exactly which vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids that you might be running low on, along with determining the effective dosage for your specific biochemistry type, requires an in-depth diet analysis. However, loading up on some of the most basic nutrients in non-toxic doses is usually always a good idea. 

Always consult your doctor if you are on medication that may interfere with specific supplements.

Reference:

More S. et al: Confectionery consumption in childhood and adult violence. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2009;195(4): 366-7. 

Saturated fats rate high on satiety index

One of the biggest issues for dieters today -  and that I constantly hear from my clients - is the struggle against hunger. A couple questions quickly reveal that most of them have cut saturated fats down to nothing - something that they've been brainwashed to do by the diet industry. Please keep in mind that the diet industry depends on you failing in the weight loss battle, otherwise they don't get repeat customers: they need you to lose weight and then struggle with cravings and a sluggish metabolism to ensure you gain it all back and come crawling back to them and spend more money.

Your brain, hormones and cells are mainly made up of saturated fats. So common sense will tell you, that this is something your body also needs from your diet for healthy functioning. Mother's milk is made up in large by saturated fats, because it is so essential for brain development etc.

In fact, I often start my mornings with heavy cream in my coffee, grassfed butter on my Ezekiel toast topped with a softboiled egg and a couple slices of delicious avocado and a bowl of banana/blueberries/macademia nuts. So fingerlicking good!

I do not struggle with cravings. I do not go to the gym. I do not count calories. My bodyfat is 18%. This is not due to great genetics - on the contrary, I have low serotonin symptoms running on both my parents side, so I need to pay attention to my metabolic type in order to keep my brain chemistry balanced and inactivate my genes of disease.

This breakfast rich in saturated fats keeps me satisfied without feeling stuffed for a good 5 hours. Whenever I skip my saturated fats and do something commonly thought as healthy, such as oatmeal with almond milk or low fat milk, I feel physically stuffed without being satisfied - I will have more food cravings for sugar and quick carbs that day. Not really a great feeling.

It is imperative that you know your own brain chemistry dispositions in order to know what to eat to feel great. And the right types of fats play a huge part.

Which fats did you eat today?

Your Brain On Sugar - the legal coke?

The reason we love the sweet, fatty ice cream is due to the spike in beta-endorfines - acting like natural painkillers. The very picture of this food invokes a dopamine response, so that the addictive anticipation of the high already starts when flipping through the cook book, looking at the commercial, or passing by the ice cream shop.

You can, however, rebalance your brain chemistry so that your addictive response is not out of your control anymore.

All you need is to be strongwilled - just say no. Saying no doesn't work when you are fighting an imbalanced brain chemistry - it is like driving a car without brakes; you just can't stop (the craving).

Watch Dr. Nora Volkow explain the biology of food addiction vs. drug addiction on CBS 60 minutes.

The Biology of Your Cravings.

Cookie Monster is a perfect example of someone

with a low level of serotonin,

 and perhaps also an excess of dopamine,

making for an anxious, aggressive personality type 

of a carb-loving furry friend.

One of the most typical issues I deal with in my work as a medical nutritionist, is helping clients break addictive behaviors around foods - especially high-carb foods. Cravings and out-of-control eating is always, always linked to brain chemistry imbalances, along with a series of other potential triggers that vary depending on genetic blueprint.

If you fail to recognize the underlying biochemistry imbalances, then you will struggle with this for the rest of your life. One thing I can promise you, is that if left untreated, it will only get worse. That is why 95% of all diets fail - they are not balancing your brain- and biochemistry, rather they are worsening the existing biochemistry problem that caused you to gain weight in the first place! Whether it be an imbalance linked to low metabolic rate (your dopaminergic neurotransmitter system), or it be one associated with addictive and binge behavior patters (your serotonergic neurotransmitter system).

Brain chemistry imbalances and triggers are highly individual and can be pin-pointed according to your genotype via specific lab tests, of which I’ll take you through the most relevant to detect what is causing your cravings. Keep in mind, cravings may be due to an isolated factor or multiple imbalances/allergies, and each one needs to be addressed, before they completely vanish. But vanish they will, once you focus on the cause - which is an imbalanced biology, rather than doing the same thing over and over again. White-knuckling it on one fad diet or another, yet you continue to expect a different outcome. Maybe this time, maybe Monday - it is wishful thinking and you know it.

So let’s go over the most common triggers associated with cravings, and why that cookie jar is oh-so appealing in the late hours...(...)

Read the full shenanigans on FoodFacts here.

New Breakthrough in Treatment Resistant Anorexia: Brain Implantation.

A brain implant that gradually stimulates normal appetite and lifts mood. This is the first time the brain implant treatment has been tried on severely anorexic patients, and suggests that other mental illnesses like eating disorders might be treated similarly. Six patients, all women with severe anorexia nervosa aged 24 to 57, were in such poor health that they agreed to enroll in the risky treatment pilot study at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre in Toronto, Canada. None of them had responded to previous eating disorder treatments, and all were at a high risk of dying of the illness. One of the patients suffered from anorexia symptoms for 37 years, and four of them had been admitted to the hospital more than 10 times. All of them except one also suffered from psychiatric conditions like major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Researchers say that the study results, published in the medical journal The Lancet on March 6, "give hope to patients with especially pernicious forms of the disorder and their families."

Reference: Lipsman N. et al. Subcallosal cingulate deep stimulation for treatment-refractory anorexia nervose - a pilot study. Lancet 2013 Mar 6

Skinny Vanilla Latte Linked to Stroke. Oh, and obesity, cancer, binge eating, palpitations and drug-relapse.

The main issue I have with aspartame is its ability to alter serotonin level and thereby affect everything involved in a balanced mind-body connection - heart rhythm, anger outbursts, insomnia, cravings for drugs, carbs etc. Why I drink my latte with full fat raw milk, pure cream (low casein a1 and lactose) or simply a nut milk; preferably cashew milk. And that's it. If you must have the sweet fix to mask the delectable taste of roasted coffee beans.. which is beyond me... then go for plain, real sugar; your body and brain knows that stuff on a biochemical level and can burn it off. End of story, no permanent damage done. Don't be fooled by the zero calorie count on the nutrasweet pack. It's brain garbage.

Reference: Drug Chem Toxicol. Epub 2012 Mar 2.
Long-term consumption of aspartame and brain antioxidant defense status.
Abhilash M, Sauganth Paul MV, Varghese MV, Nair RH.

ReTHINK BreakFAST

Natural Sleep Aids.

The typical alpha male struggles with insomnia 

not only due to work place stress, 

but this type often shows severe depletion 

in their calming neurotransmitters

- namely serotonin and GABA.

Massage is one way of quickly creating a boost in serotonin.

The key, however, is to change your dietary strategies,

 so they support your chemical imbalances,

 and thus enables you to live the life you really want.

Sleep is one of the most important pillars to good health - during sleep is when your brain recharges, most of your fatburning takes place and collagen and cell renewal. Yet, most of us find it increasingly difficult to sleep without either numbing ourselves out with afterwork drinks or rx sleep medication (highly addictive and you do NOT enter those deep layers of REM sleep btw. - that's why you continue to feel groggy!).

Insomnia is just about always associated with an imbalance in your serotonergic neurotransmitter system; and this is something you can rebalance with the right nutritional therapy within 6 months time completely - depending on severity.

A couple of no side-effects natural strategies that I use initially, depending on the client's genetic make-up, are based on Ayurvedic principles on how to calm down an overexcited central nervous system - some work better on certain people than others.
I will use one or more while rebalancing their neurotransmitter system, depending on their unique genotype.

You can incorporate herbs with sedative properties into your daily routine similar to as most of us have gotten used to our coffee fix - change routines, and repeat it until it becomes a natural no-frills habit.

- A warm herbal bath with drops of essential oils of lavender, chamomile, neroli or rose before going to bed works wonders to loosen tense muscles and quiet an overactive mind.

- Stuffed herb pillows with catnip, lavender, lemon balm, or orange blossoms, have been used traditionally to aid sleep.

- Warm milk (preferably goat's or casein a2) with ground almonds and a piece of nutmeg or cardamom helps digestion and nerve system.

- Herbal teas or tinctures of some of the following herbs support proper sleep pattern: lavender, hops, passionflower, chamomile, skullcap, lemon balm, valerian root and kava. These can be used in combinations or alone as suggested by your practitioner.

- A powerful herb for cultivating balance in the central nervous system is ashwagandha. This well-known Ayurvedic herb is helpful in nourishing a depleted and worn out nervous system.

Do remember that which strategies and dosages that will enable you to finally sleep sound, all depends on your genetic make-up and how your brain is wired - that's why custom natural medicine works and generalized advice is hit and miss.

Foods Designed to Kill: Why You MUST Avoid These 8 GM Foods.

There are many reasons to buy organic. One being that genetically modified foods and derivatives thereof have become widespread the last decade. We have yet to truly understand the neurological damage that these foods may have long-term, however, common sense tells us that these foods are to be avoided, as they have shown in animal studies to increase pesticides within the body - pesticides act like neurotoxins and disrupt your endocrine system. Children are most vulnerable to the devastating effects of neurological damage, as their brains are still developing. And in many cases, once neurological damage is done - well, it is done.

Genetically modified foods are engineered to produce their own built-in pesticide in every cell. When bugs bite the plant, the poison splits open their stomach and kills them. Biotech companies claim that the pesticide, called Bt—produced from soil bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis—has a history of safe use, since organic farmers and others use Bt bacteria spray for natural insect control. Genetic engineers insert Bt genes into corn and cotton, so the plants do the killing.
The Bt-toxin produced in GM plants, however, is thousands of times more concentrated than natural Bt spray, is designed to be more toxic, has properties of an allergen, and unlike the spray, cannot be washed off the plant.

AAEM states, “Multiple animal studies show significant immune dysregulation,” including increase in cytokines, which are “associated with asthma, allergy, and inflammation”—all on the rise in the US.

Applying this knowledge into your everyday life means that you need to avoid following 8 GM foods, or make sure that they are 100% USDA organic:

Corn and derivatives is used in just about every shelf product
- and if it's not organic it's GMO. In short: it is designed to kill you from within.
Yes, the pesticides it produces within does not differ
whether you are an insect or human being - it's still a food designed to kill.

• Soy
• Corn
• Cottonseed
• Canola
• Sugar from sugar beets
• Hawaiian papaya
• Crookneck squash
• Zucchini

If you have been eating these foods, then you need a customized detoxification program geared at ridding your body of pesticides in order to prevent permanent neurological damage.
Contact us for more information.

References:

M. Green, et al., “Public health implications of the microbial pesticide Bacillus thuringiensis: An epidemiological study, Oregon, 1985-86,” Amer. J. Public Health 80, no. 7(1990): 848–852.

Ashish Gupta et. al., “Impact of Bt Cotton on Farmers’ Health (in Barwani and Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh),” Investigation Report, Oct–Dec 2005.Identification of a Brazil-nut allergen in transgenic soybeans (New England Journal of Medicine, Vol 334, No 11, pp 688-692, 1996)

Effect of diets containing genetically modified potatoes expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat small intestine (Lancet, Vol 354, No 9187, pp 1353-1354, Oct 1999)

Safety of genetically modified food questioned: Interview with gene scientist, Dr Arpad Pusztai(http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/jun1999/gmo-j03.shtml )

Change Your Body Set-point.

If you've reached a weight-loss plateau, or even having difficulty losing any weight in spite of monitoring every morsel that passes your lips, you need to change your metabolism and brain chemistry, as these two factors are what will ultimately determine if you are able to keep your body-fat down, get ripped abs and no longer struggle with the munchies. I've said it a million times and I'll say it again: fat-burning has NOTHING to do with willpower, but everything to do with brainpower, and understanding how to harness the power of your brain chemistry and genotype - matching it with the right supplements, amino therapy and dietary strategies for your unique genetic blueprint and brain chemistry wiring.

There are, however, a couple factors that you may not be aware of that are crucial in order to kickstart your body into fat-burning gear:

You can change your metabolism:  A study of sets of twins where one was fat and the other thin found that fat cells in heavier twins underwent metabolic changes that make it more difficult to burn fat.  Physical activity can reverse the effect.

Stress can make you fat: Stressful circumstances can cause cravings for carbohydrate-rich foods. Stress hormones also increase fat storage.

Zac Efron- His physique is not a matter of willpower:
He doesn't stick to a fanatic diet or exercise regime;
it simply flows - because what he is doing,
whether conscious or not about it,
matches his genetic blueprint!

Sleep more to promote weight loss:  Sleep deprivation upsets your hormone balance, triggering a decrease in leptin (a hormone that helps you feel full) and an increase of ghrelin (a hormone that triggers hunger).

Sugar is addictive:  Research has determined that foods people like excite the same parts of the brain that are activated in drug addicts.

Antioxidants are also anti-fat:  Free radicals damage the cells that tell you that you're full. Get rid of them by eating colorful, antioxidant-rich vegetables.

Pine Nut Oil Suppress Appetite: In a paper being presented in an American Physiological Society session at Experimental Biology 2006, "the greatest effect was observed after just 30 minutes, with the 18 women reporting a 29% reduction in "desire to eat" and a 36% drop in "prospective food intake" scores. The experiment found a parallel and significant increase in cholecystokinin (CCK) of 60% and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) of 25% that remained as long as four hours after ingestion. CCK and GLP1 are appetite suppressors, which "send signals of satiation to the brain diminishing the desire to eat and food intake usually significantly


To determine your genetic blueprint you can sign up online for a metabolic typing session with The Nutrition Doctor here - the web portal will be online in September.

According to New DSM-5 Criteria: YOU're An Addict!

Well, more likely than not the new criteria will open up for future inclusion of disorders that were previously diagnosed as impulse control disorders rather than actual addictions. However, fact remains that a lot of those behaviors, prescription meds and chemicals added to foods these days directly stimulate our dopaminergic neurotransmitter system which is one of the key pathways in your reward system activated by drugs such as coke, speed, meth etc.

And another interesting aspect is that internet, texting etc. stimulate dopamine boosts as well - making for a generation that is used to instant gratification and has a super vulnerable brain chemistry for hard-core drugs; or simply a chronic need for stimulation that goes hand in hand with a low tolerance to pain (emotionally and physically). This makes for the perfect "binge" generation that constantly seek out distractions they can numb out in to avoid feelings (sex, cutting, shopping, drugs, food, gambling, texting, online stimuli, stealing, lying, gaming, hysteria and rage tantrums etc. etc.). And because everyone these days are doing something to manage the everyday pain of life, when you are not content in the skin you are in and the life that YOU ultimately have chosen to live... we have indeed become a nation of addicts - as I see it.

Because everyone's an addict does not make it right - it's a problem, and it's growing as both our environment, food and norms are supporting various addictions that overlap.

Look, I know what you're thinking "Oh come on now! Give me a break! No one's perfect!" That's not the point. The point is, there is a very...very... fine line before something, that we trick ourselves into thinking that we are in control of, gets in control of us. And if you can't go even a week without your drug/behavior of choice, without throwing fits of rage or crying over everything and nothing, there is a problem that is not going to disappear on its own.

Once you stop engaging in your distractions, you'll realize how you really feel about your life... and that is not always pretty.

When you are not happy in the skin you are in without numbing yourself out; it's only a matter of time before you will find yourself controlled by behaviors or substances... where every decision you make depends on whether you will be able to ultimately get your fix... so you only see your friends during "happy hour"... cos if it's not happy hour, you're not happy. Don't get me wrong: I love my Amarone too! But there's a huge difference between "nice to have" and "need to have". And "need to have" is never nice.

And on a side note - Sylvester Stallone's son, Sage, has just been found dead in his LA apartment. Make no mistake: Addiction will kill you - it is a slow suicide. And sometimes, not so slow. You can get the latest details on this on TMZ.



"The fact that binge drinking is so pervasive among college students and other young people indicates not that it is the norm, and therefore OK (not a problem), but that it is a very big problem indeed. Arguing otherwise is like saying that since so many Americans are obese, it needn’t be addressed because it is a cultural norm."

- The Fix

Read more about the controversy about the new diagnosing criteria to be included in the DSM 5 here.

Autistic Kids: It's A Nutrigenomic Issue!

Cute kid. Unfortunately, the stereotypical breakfast
of milk and cereal is one of the top triggers
of autism and the associated not-quite-so-cute behavior.
A breakfast overflowing with opioids found in milk and wheat gluten
- whole grain or not, besides the point here.

When kids suffer from behavioral disorders, looking into food allergies and nutrient therapy is crucial. Genetic traits and brain chemistry imbalances are hereditary and gradually worsened through generations; so if you haven't taken care of yourself by matching your lifestyle to your unique metabolic type, you can be sure to see a worsening of your vulnerabilities showing in your kids.

Autism have become one of the most widespread issues amongst kids these days; however, it is very easily treated if you understand how autistic symptoms relate to brain chemistry and triggered by opioids found in common food products.

So what characterizes the brain of a kid suffering with autism?
Autistic children generally have high levels of serotonin in their blood platelets, but LOW level of “free” serotonin. This may mean high serotonin in blood cells, but low serotonin in brain!

Research also comments on the fact that autistic children have high beta-endorphin levels. The literature does not reference baseline beta-endorphin but talks about an exaggerated stress response. Measuring beta-endorphin evokes stress, so the high levels they see may be a function of the exaggerated stress reaction. Stress evokes BE, and generally serotonin modulates the spike. If the serotonin system is impaired, there could be nothing to tone the beta-endorphin spike down so there would be a constant spiking and crashing.

BE is designed to kill pain, it creates “numb”. This can be life saving in a crisis, but it does not do well for bonding. Researchers used a drug called Naltrexone that sits in beta-endorphin receptor sites and does not allow the heightened BE reaction to charge the system; thus the kids treated had fewer autistic symptoms. However, this method does nothing but treat the symptoms temporarily (you can't be on these drugs forever - as with anything, there are side effects that only worsen over time causing a multitude of other health problems); it does not target the underlying issue.

Sugar, wheat gluten and dairy contain opioid peptides and raise BE levels more. So we know there is a direct link between the biochemistry imbalances that are associated with autism and that which are dietary related!

What to do now? 

Well, if your kid suffers with autism, even if you don't have the financial means to have a brain chemistry and metabolic typing done (contact for more info), you will want to try this out for 28 days (my experience is that in 90% of cases this solves the issue): move your kids to a food plan that has no wheat, no hard-core dairy (whey protein powder is ok because it does not have casein), and no sugar.

Anderson, G. M., D. X. Freedman, et al. (1987). Whole blood serotonin in autistic and normal subjects. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 28(6): 885-900.

Anderson, G. M., A. W. Zimmerman, et al. (2004). Autism clinical trials: biological and medical issues in patient selection and treatment response. CNS Spectr 9(1): 57-64.

Blum, I. , Y. Vered, et al. (1992). The influence of meal composition on plasma serotonin and norepinephrine concentrations. Metabolism 41(2): 137-40.

Buitelaar, J. K. (2003). Why have drug treatments been so disappointing? Novartis Found Symp 251: 235-44; discussion 245-9, 281-97.

Bursztejn, C., P. Ferrari, et al. (1988). Metabolism of serotonin in autism in children]. Encephale 14(6): 413-9.

Cazzullo, A. G., M. C. Musetti, et al. (1999). Beta-endorphin levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and long-term naltrexone treatment in autistic children. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 9(4): 361-6.

Drink Your Shrink: Calming Lemon Balm Ice Tea

I love sipping this during the hot days of summer!
Lemon has an alkalizing effect on you body and thereby works anti-inflammatory together with the raw honey. Do remember that honey is one of those foods that absolutely must be taken raw (check the label, it should say raw on it). Excessive heating - as in pasteurization - changes its properties as it ferments; disabling your body from digesting it and turning into a sticky glue-like toxic substance in your body. This is also why pasteurized honey is a no-go in Ayurvedic medicine.

Lemon balm is one of those herbs that have been used since ancient times to calm an overexcited nervous system. Lemon balm has been found to reduce cortisol levels and also levels of an enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter GABA -- an inhibitory neurotransmitter known for its calming effects on the nervous system, particularly an area called the hippocampus.
To notice a significant calming effect and boosting GABA measurably, you need dosage levels of 50- 200 mg/kg body weight daily for three weeks.

The results of lemon balm's actions in reducing cortisol and preserving GABA promote cell growth and development in the hippocampus, which is part of the limbic system and contributes to the control of emotions such as anxiety.

A great and healthy alternative to Xanax which is one of the fastest growing prescription drug addictions in the United States, by the way. Xanax is a benzo used to treat anxiety and panic disorders; the side effects are vast and range from irregular heart-beat to depression. Even though Xanax may be used in short-term scenarios, keep in mind that it does not boost your brain-GABA levels which is the real key to overcoming anxiety for good!

You are anxious because your body's stress filter is off - so you need to restore it rather than simply suppress the symptoms temporarily!

If this doesn't do it for you, know that anxiety can also be a symptom of other brain chemicals being out of whack - i.e. excessive high dopamine, low serotonin and/or a combination. That's why it's important to understand your unique biochemistry type, so you match your diet, supplements and lifestyle with your genetic profile - whether it be for preventative or treatment related purposes!

An online biochemistry testing incl. lab analysis and a health provider service will be launching at The Nutrition Doctor's site Www.ChristinaSantini.com end of August, so stay tuned!

Makes 8 servings.

What's in it?

• Big bunch of fresh lemon balm stalks with leaves
  
• 1/2 cup of raw honey
• 1/4 cup of lemon juice
• 8 cups water

What to do?

• Stuff as much rinsed lemon balm into a slow cooker as will fit and cover with 8 cups of water - let simmer for about 3 hrs on low heat.
• Drain the resulting liquid into a pitcher
• While it's still warm, add raw honey and lemon juice. 
• Add more water to taste
• Chill before serving

Reference:

Dae Yoo, Jung Choi, Woosuk Kim, et al. Effects of Melissa officinalis (Lemon Balm) Extract on Neurogenesis Associated with Serum Corticosterone and GABA in the Mouse Dentate Gyrus. Neurochemical Research (13 November 2010), 

pp. 1-8, doi:10.1007/s11064-010-0312-2

What's FOOD got to do with your MOOD?

GI disorders on the rise: The case for WHITE rice.

Of course the Asian cultures with their influence

from Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine

have chosen to make white rice a stable part of their diet for a reason.

And now the West is finally beginning to grasp a grain

of what they have known and implemented for centuries: white rice is better than brown!

Just don't expect your health care practitioner to recommend this tomorrow

- as with all break-throughs in medicine it takes decades for it to reach the mainstream.

Just when you thought there were certain things in the health field that would never change - i.e. a pint of Haagen dasz is never going to be on the bottom of the food pyramide nor is anything white: white flour, white rice, white sugar... and so on.
After all, all things white is the reason why the West is getting fatter yet more malnourished by the minute, is it not.

Well, turns out it's not that simple - and cutting out white rice in exchange for brown may only be leading to further GI disorders. Now hang on a second before you just write this off as wish-washy alternative nonsense.

Let's start from the beginning.

Gastro intestinal disorders and gluten intolerance issues have reached epidemic proportions.
This is a catastrophe, because our knowledge of gluten intolerance is still at a baby stage and conventional medicine simply does not know how to treat (and much less properly diagnose!) inflamed gut and damaged villis.

Many of the meds you may be taking for secondary reasons are preventing your gut from healing by thinning the mucosal lining along with the fact that every Rx leads to your blood pH being more acidic. Now I'm not saying that Rx is always a no-no, it is always a question of pros vs. cons. However, in cases of inflamed gut you will have a load of symptoms that are all secondary: Osteoporosis, low T3, hormonal imbalance, mood disorders etc. etc. And they will continue to be present until you heal the primary reason for your disease - which is your gut.

With GI disorders every other disease under the sun follows, which is why it is critical to first heal your gut and then focus on any other issues you may be having. Simply because if your gut isn't healed step 1, whatever goes into your body either adds toxins and ferments due to indigestion or simply just exists your system without you having absorbed any nutrients at all.

Now back to the white stuff. Brown rice (which Asian cultures only use for the poor or to feed the pigs) contains something called phytic acid. Phytic acid binds to minerals in foods and limit our digestion of the minerals.

What about the fiber you ask? Well, turns out that more fiber is not the cure we thought it once was. Especially not the sort of roughage that stems from grains - bran, which is a typical recommendation to bulk up your fiber intake, literally tears your insides to shreds and prevents nutrient absorption (mind you, you still have to eat your fruit and veggies - it is only the grain roughage that is an issue). Brown rice is white rice with a thick hull around it. It is kind of like eating a walnut and not taking the shell off. There are nutrients in the hull, but they have a very poor bioavailability. Our bodies spend a lot of time and effort trying to break down the shell, which will use up energy and slow our metabolism.

Ever been on a juice diet where you actually consume zero fiber? Point: You do not get constipated from lack of roughage in your diet, you get constipated when you eat things your system cannot digest properly - i.e. most conventional casein a1 milk products and gluten (if this does not match your genotype).

(White) rice is one of the least allergenic foods there is on the grain side, and it is especially great as part of your diet for people low on serotonin as they need some quicker carbs to help boost insulin so that it can transport competing aminos out of the blood stream to the muscles, leaving the larger molecule tryptophan (precursor of serotonin) free to enter the brain-blood barrier.

Note: Also why a strict vegan or high protein diet is a disaster for people with low serotonin - first diet does not contain the building blocks for serotonin, and the second contains too many competitors so tryptophan will never be converted into brain-serotonin - and that's why some people experience crazy carb cravings on the Atkins diet (only those low on serotonin)!

..And is there anything more comforting 

than eating a bowl of steaming hot 

Indian spiced basmati rice glistening 

with pasture butter. And then we can get into 

the whole discussion of why saturated fats 

are not all created equal etc. - that's for another post!

Bottomline: You are what you absorb - so eat your rice WHITE like the Asians do!
I recommend the long-grain variety as they are slightly more nutritious.

If you want a great easy-read on why white rice is better (yesyes, I know you're almost suffocating there on your coffee reading this, admittedly it took me some time to get comfortable enough to finally put this down in writing even), then I recommend you grab the book by Jason Bussell  MSOM, Licensed Acupuncturist, The Asian Diet: Simple secrets for eating right, losing weight, and being well.
Mind you, this book is not a magic key per se, and admittedly I'd have preferred some more brain chemistry explanations and insights to be included, as this is always a pet-peeve of mine when determining if something is worth it - that said, it is still great on getting insight on why white rice indeed is better than brown from a gut-perspective!

And if switching from brown to white makes all your alarms go off due to the glycemic index, then read my case for why the gi index is a useless tool.

References:

Pharm Dev Technol. 2010 Sep-Oct;15(5):526-31.
Gastro-intestinal sustained release of phytic acid by molecularly imprinted microparticles.
Cirillo G, Curcio M, Parisi OI, Puoci F, Iemma F, Spizzirri UG, Picci N

Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2009 Dec;60(8):688-93.
Iron absorption from brown rice/brown rice-based meal and milled rice/milled rice-based meal.
Trinidad TP, Mallillin AC, Sagum RS, Briones DP, Encabo RR, Juliano BO

Dig Dis Sci. 1990 Oct;35(10):1205-10.
Drug-induced esophageal injury. Histopathological study in a rabbit model.
Brewer AR, Smyrk TC, Bailey RT Jr, Bonavina L, Eypasch EP, Demeester TR

Drug Saf. 2000 Mar;22(3):237-49.
Drug-induced oesophageal disorders: pathogenesis, incidence, prevention and management.
Jaspersen D

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2010 Apr;24(2):91-7.
Adverse effects of drugs on the esophagus.
Tutuian R; Clinical Lead Outpatient Services and Gastrointestinal Function Laboratory

Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2004 Apr;28 Spec No 3:C58-61.
[Esophageal complications of non steroidal antiinflammatory drugs].
Bigard MA, Pelletier AL

Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol. 2004;18 Suppl:73-81.
Aging and upper gastrointestinal disorders.
Pilotto A

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2012 Jan 31. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01872.x. [Epub ahead of print]
Life style in persons with functional gastrointestinal disorders - large-scale internet survey of lifestyle in Japan.
Miwa H

BMC Gastroenterol. 2008 Sep 23;8:43.
The clinical overlap between functional dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome based on Rome III criteria.
Wang A, Liao X, Xiong L, Peng S, Xiao Y, Liu S, Hu P, Chen M

YOGA babes keep their cool by boosting GABA!

You can still get your eye-candy fix by winding down 

with yoga after work instead of those Martinis.

A study conducted by researcher Chris Streeter, MD, from Boston University School of Medicine (Massachusetts) published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal, found a direct correlation with yoga and the communicator in your brain that acts like Xanax on your central nervous system!
In Streeter’s 12-week study, a group of 34 randomly selected physically and psychologically healthy young men and women were divided into two groups, one that walked for an hour three times a week and one that practiced Iyengar yoga for the same amount of time.
At four-week intervals, Streeter used a technique known as magnetic resonance spectroscopy to monitor subjects’ levels of a brain chemical called gamma-amino butyric acid, or GABA, elevated levels of which are associated with improved mood and decreased anxiety. She found that the yoga group reported a greater boost in mood than the walking group, with GABA levels matching those improvements. The study is the first to demonstrate the GABA-mood-yoga connection by looking at actual changes in the brain.

Loving Victoria's Secret cute-as-a-button yoga pants.
Candy cane multi stripes, $40

So here's one more reason to stretch out after work rather than having those after-work drinks, which people low on GABA are especially drawn towards to help them wind down. Just remember that alcohol BLOCKS GABA receptors along with disabling you from reaching those deep layers of REM sleep where you rebuild your brain; and thus you set yourself up for a cycle of chronic stress where sedatives become your addiction of choice.

Reference:
Streeter et al. Yoga Assana Sessions Increase Brain Gaba Levels. THE JOURNAL OF ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE Volume 13, Number 4, 2007, pp. 419–426

Beating Anxiety

Did you know that the symptoms of phobia and panic attacks, coincidentally or not, are very similar to those of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)? Blood rushes from the victim's brain to his limbs, causing light-headedness. When your body is suddenly deprived of glucose, causing brain starvation, adrenaline kicks in to bring these levels up again as soon as possible. Adrenaline is a hormone that converts glycogen (stored glucose) back into glucose in order to feed the brain.

What is interesting from a dietary point of view is that the typical diet of someone who comes to see us, includes several cups of coffee a day, lots of sweets and very few slow-release high-protein foods. They might have coffee with a doughnut for breakfast, more coffee at midmorning, a white-bread sandwich at lunch, and a plate of pasta for supper. Then before going to bed they have something sweet. If I ate like that I would be anxious too!

People who suffer from anxiety are often sensitive to blood sugar fluctuations which trigger panic attacks; in these cases a change of diet is all that is needed.

5 medicinal nutrition steps to beat panic attacks due to hypoglycemia:

• Eat 3 moderate protein/carb meals daily + 2 snacks containing a fat/protein source
• Include cinnamon (prevents insulin spikes), bananas (the combination of magnesium, potassium and B6 calms CNS) and whey (easy to digest source of branched chain aminos)
• Drink chamomile and white tea
• Eliminate coffee, white flour and anything containing aspartame (watch out as they are now changing the name to Amino Sweet - same poison, different wrapping!)



Bananas - nature's tranquilizer!

• No alcohol (blocks GABA receptors and spikes insulin)

If you continue to suffer from heightened anxiety, a depletion of the neurotransmitter that acts like a tranquilizer on your central nervous system, GABA, is usually at play.

If that is the case - which can be determined via blood work analysis and by taking our biochemistry type test via making an appointment with The Nutrition Doctor, then we work with herbs, tonics and supplements that boost brain-GABA within 3 months. Pure oral GABA supplementation is absorbed very poorly, why we do not recommend it.

3 key supplements to boost GABA:

• Inositol
• NAC
• L-theanine

Reference: Harp M. et al. Correlations of the physical symptoms of hypoglycemia with the psychological symptoms of anxiety and depression. J of Ortho Med. vol 5. 1990

What would Don Draper do?

So, what's your coping mechanism in life?
This sketch is just priceless - it is pure brilliant in portraying how many of us go about our daily life in some way or another, whether we are conscious about it or not, and whatever our "drug" of choice is.

As anyone who has watched an episode of Mad Men knows, Don Draper is the epitome of a civilized addict. His narcissistic behavior and need for control is a direct result of an unstable biochemistry, if he is not engaging in his drugs of choice (cigarettes, alcohol or sex), he is being emotionally abusive.

His inability to handle emotions is why he is succumbing to self-destructive coping mechanisms that temporarily numb him out.

First step in treating someone like Don Draper is to rebalance his biochemistry so that he no longer deals with those ongoing struggles that cause him to be a ticking time-bomb. He is constantly experiencing peaks and dips in his dopaminergic and seratonergic neurotransmitter system based on what he is doing (or temporarily abstaining from doing). And those drastic brain chemical fluctuations would drive anyone up the wall. You can have all the knowledge in the world on how to deal with emotions etc., but if you are fighting against your biology, you stand to lose.


Treating an imbalanced biochemistry should always come first - that enables people to feel comfortable in the skin they're in effortlessly and without needing to spend countless hours at the shrink's going over semi-invented or not childhood traumas that just are not relevant to keep dwelling on when focus should be on letting go of the past and moving forward.

Balance your brain and everything else in life suddenly seems a lot less dramatic.
Addicts create drama because they are about to crawl out of their skin - that is how uncomfortable it feels to be them, and thus creating some outside triggering dramatic event gives them a temporary relief from focusing on their own inner discomfort.

Once inner balance is restored there is no need to create outer chaos.

Get your brain chemistry evaluated here.