NUTRITION AND MENTAL
HEALTH
By Lawrence Wilson, MD
© Decmber 2009, The Center For Development
Nutritional
imbalances play a critical role in mental as well as physical health. Many emotional and behavioral symptoms
and disorders have, at their root, nutritional and biochemical imbalances that
either cause or aggravate them.
This article is a brief introduction to the major nutritional imbalances
and their mental and emotional effects.
A solid, steady energy level is very
important for the brain. The brain
uses almost one-third of our calories.
Any fluctuations or low levels of energy will have enormous impacts on
our nervous system and emotions as well.
This has been demonstrated and is
well-known in the case of hypoglycemica.
In this condition, the brain does not receive a steady supply of
glucose. Common symptoms can mimic
many emotional and physical disorders.
These include fatigue, depression, anxiety, confusion and even violence
and psychosis.
Emotionally speaking, when one is
tired, decision-making and all other mental and emotional factors are more
difficult. Thousands of people
today suffer from low energy levels.
This often results in feelings of depression, anxiety, mood swings,
irritability, withdrawal and more.
Dr. George Watson, PhD, spent over
thirty years researching the biochemical and nutritional aspects of mental
health. He began his work in the
late 1940Õs when he held a post-doctoral research fellowship in psychology at
the University of Southern California.
He wrote:
ÒSince the brain and the
nervous system use proportionately more energy than any other of the bodies
organs, when there is a dysfunction in the energy cycles, the first adverse
affects are found in ones thinking, feeling, and behavior.Ó (Watson, 1979)
We need energy to take risks, to face
challenges and to live up to our potential to be all that we can be. Enough
adaptive energy is absolutely required to cope with stress as well. When energy is low and other imbalances
are present, the weakened chemistry fosters negativity and discouragement that
impedes self-expression and self-actualization. This fact has been born out many times in our healing
practice.
The production of energy (ATP) from
our food involves two major components, an intact energy pathway and a
balanced metabolic or oxidation rate. Let us discuss these very
briefly.
THE ENERGY PATHWAY
The energy pathway involves the
ingestion of food, first of all.
In most people, the diet is improper, with too many refined foods, too
much sugars and not enough vegetables, for example. Other aspects of diet include eating habits such as eating
regular, sit-down, quiet meals.
This is as important in some cases as what a person eats.
The pathway continues with the
digestion of food, another area most people are sorely deficient in. They lack adequate digestive enzymes,
which we supply in our nutritional balancing programs for everyone. Once food is digested properly, it must
be absorbed into the cells, another area where many people have difficulty due
to their diet of too many omega-6 fatty acids and not enough omega-3 fatty acids. This makes the cell membranes less permeable
and causes inflammation as well.
Once absorbed, food goes to the liver,
where it must be converted in many instances, to other chemical
substances. This is also often a
problem, as the livers are so toxic today due to the ingestion of many chemical
substances that are toxic for the body.
Nutrients then pass to the cells. Once nutrients enter the cells they
must be further processed in the
energy cycles within the mitochondria of each cell. Deficiencies of manganese, for example, or B vitamins will
inhibit this energy conversion in the Krebs and glycolysis energy cycles. This is also very common today.
A personÕs energy drops drastically if
any step in the energy pathway is
blocked by nutrient deficiencies, toxic metals, toxic chemicals, infection or other problems. It is not wonder many people seek out
caffeinated beverages or other stimulants to keep going today!
The other important factor in a
personÕs energy level is the metabolic or oxidation rate. We prefer the more exact term, the
oxidation rate. It is the rate at
which energy is made available to the cells in the body.
When this rate is too fast or too
slow, oneÕs energy level decreases
dramatically. This is
somewhat like pedaling a bicycle in the wrong gear. Some people may be familiar with the engine problems that
occur by running a car in the wrong gear as well.
In
addition to energy loss, specific emotional and behavioral symptoms are
associated with a fast or an excessively slow oxidation rate.
Dr.
George Watson, who coined the terms fast and slow oxidation, noted that fast oxidation is associated with
impatience, irritability, anxiety, ADD and ADHD in young children, panic
attacks, at times, and other mental and emotional symptoms.
Slow
oxidation is more associated with depression, apathy, despair,
hostility, bipolar disorder, schizophrenias, moodiness, spaciness, brain fog,
malaise and other mental disorders.
Assessing the oxidation rate is not
easy with blood tests. However, it
is readily apparent on a hair mineral analysis in which the hair is not washed
at the laboratory. Fast
oxidizers have low levels of
calcium and magnesium and relatively high levels of sodium and potassium on
their hair mineral tests. Slow
oxidizers have the opposite situation with relatively high levels of calcium
and magnesium in their hair tissue relative to the levels of sodium and
potassium.
This occurs because calcium and
magnesium have a sedating effect on the nervous system. When they are elevated they have a depressive effects on the
central nervous system. Sodium and
potassium tend to have a stimulating or enhancing effect on the nervous system. For more on how to calculate the
oxidation rate from a hair test, read The
Oxidation Types.
Every time Steven ate pizza, he became
sullen and unresponsive.
Eliminating this food cleared up the problem. Reactions to foods such as wheat, milk and many others can
trigger emotional and behavioral problems. These reactions are sometimes known as central nervous
system allergies.
A pioneer in this field was an
allergist, Dr. Benjamin Feingold.
In 1985 he wrote Why is your Child
Hyperactive? He found that
among hyperactive children, a full
50% improved when they removed certain food items including sugars, dairy,
wheat and various chemical food additives such as colorings, flavorings and
preservatives. Even some ÒnaturalÓ
flavors can cause problems. One is
better off without any additives, according to his research findings. His primary focus was on children
diagnosed as hyperkinetic.
Currently this is known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or
ADHD.
Another pioneer in this field was a psychiatrist, Abram Hoffer, MD. In his book, Orthomolecular Nutrition, Dr. Hoffer gives many examples of
patients whose aberrant behavior was traced to food sensitivities. One young girl became psychotic each
time she ate oysters.
Doris Rapp, MD, a pediatric allergist,
thoroughly documented the effects of foods and chemicals on behavior in her
excellent more recent books. For
example, she wrote in, Is this your ChildÕs World? Òreactions
to foods, dusts, molds, pollen or exposure to chemicals can cause aggressive
behavior and extreme anger.Ó
Unfortunately, childrenÕs food, in
particular, but many prepared foods for adults as well continue to be laced
with hundreds of toxic chemicals.
In addition, food reactions are extremely common to everyday foods such
as wheat, for example. This
problem if usually missed by most psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors
who attempt to correct a physical problem with drugs or counseling when a
dietary change would be a simple remedy.
In
Disease Prevention and Treatment, 3rd
edition, the authors note that while other tissues of the body store fuel, such
as sugar and fat, the brain does not. T he brain is dependant on a steady
supply of glucose (sugar) for its moment-to-moment operations. Also, the brain uses up a tremendous
amount of calories. If the blood
sugar is unstable for any reason, it can have profound effects on
behavior.
Eating sugars, particularly refined
sugars, upsets calcium metabolism, depletes vital B-complex vitamins, depletes
minerals such as chromium, manganese and zinc, and often leads to carbohydrate
intolerance. Even fruit and
fruit juices contain too much sugar for most people, especially children. They are much better off without juices
and limiting their fruit intake.
Hypoglycemia is one result of eating a
diet of refined foods, the use of stimulants and/or vital mineral
depletion. It may be better
described as carbohydrate intolerance.
The body becomes unable to absorb certain carbohydrate loads effectively
without adverse consequences.
More specifically, what happens is
that several hours after a carbohydrate or sugar-rich meal, the blood sugar
level falls because the body cannot properly respond to such a lot of
carbohydrate ingested at the meal.
It can easily fall to a level at which the brain is effectively starving
for fuel.
Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness,
shakiness, irritability and depression. Others are palpitations, anxiety,
nightmares, and panic attacks. Others are impaired memory and concentration. Much more can be understood about
hypoglycemia. To find out more,
read Hypoglycemia and Diabetes
on this website.
THE SUGAR AND STIMULANT ROLLERCOASTER
Many people eat a sugar-laden breakfast
that also includes coffee. This
pumps up their blood sugar level, which can cause irritability and even manic
behavior.
By about 10:30 in the morning,
however, the blood sugar falls.
They become sleepy, and often crabby or irritable, and require a
snack. They often have a sweet or
stimulant food to carry them over till lunch.
Lunch may include more sugar, perhaps
a soda pop with caffeine, sugar and up to 70 chemicals. It might include the artificial
sweetener, Nutrasweet or aspartame or other chemicals such as MSG. These are called excitotoxins. These affect the brain powerfully. The sweets and caffeine also pump up
the blood sugar again, and the roller coaster blood sugar ride continues
throughout the day. Along with it,
emotions can flare and one may wonder why work, relationships and other
activities are becoming more difficult to focus on and enjoy.
An afternoon snack is usually required
to maintain oneÕs energy level.
This is usually sweet again, and may contain more caffeine, too. The blood sugar rises again, only to
fall about 5 pm, when it is time for happy hour or a drink or another soda pop
to balance out once again.
Millions of Americans live this way, and more of the world is starting
to live this way as well. It is sad
to behold because it is preventable by eating more protein, some omega-3 fats
and oils and much less sugar, chemicals and stimulants such as caffeine.
NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES
Specific
nutrients are absolutely required for many aspects of brain activity. These include all the B-complex
vitamins, zinc, manganese, selenium, chromium, other vitamins and many more.
For example, a key mineral is calcium. It acts as a psychological buffer that
relaxes muscles and the nervous system, and helps to calm people down. Low tissue levels of calcium are very
common. Hypocalcemia, as it is
sometimes called, may produce mild, diffuse encephalopathy (a brain disorder)
and should be suspected in any patient with unexplained dementia, depression,
or psychosis: (Berkow, pg.1196).
In milder cases it causes
irritability, anxiety, nervousness, restlessness in children and hyperkinetic
behavior. It can also lead to
short tempers, violence and even murder.
Muscles become more tense and one develops a Òshort fuseÓ. All this is from a low level of one
common mineral that is deficient in most peopleÕs diet today.
It is well known that phosphoric acid,
an additive in most types of soda pop, binds to calcium in the intestine. There it forms an insoluble product
that cannot be absorbed, thereby robbing the body of calcium. In The
Handbook Of Vitamins, Minerals and Hormones, Dr. Roman Kutsky explains that
modern diets are very often deficient in calcium and nutrients needed to use
calcium such as vitamin D. This
tends to cause more of many problems, including mental and emotional diseases.
Also, stress from any cause can use up
nutrients much faster than they can be replenished, even with a wholesome
diet. As a result, deficiencies in
many vital nutrients are even common in those who supposedly eat a healthful
diet. Stress is a hidden source of
problems for many people that can lead a healthy person to develop symptoms of
mental illness.
BIOCHEMICAL INDIVIDUALITY
An important cause of mental ailments
today is called biochemical individuality. This is the term used to describe normal variations in
the nutritional needs of each person.
It is a critical reason for certain nutritional problems that often lead
to emotional and mental ailments.
Variation depends on oneÕs health conditions, lifestyle, age and even
genetics.
In plain words, some people simply
need much more of a certain vitamin or mineral than others. If they do not receive it, they will
develop both physical and often emotional and mental symptoms. This is fact, even if most doctors and
psychiatrists do not recognize it as true. I have seen it prove out many, many times. It can even explain various food
cravings such as a love of chocolate, which is rich in magnesium, copper and
other nutrients.
For example, the Òminimum daily
requirementÓ for thiamine, vitamin B1, is extremely low. However, Dr. Kutsky notes that Òspecial conditions requiring
supplementation of vitamin B1 include pregnancy, lactation, heavy exercise,
alcoholism, high carbohydrate intake, processed food diets, deficiency
diseases, old age, gastrointestinal disturbances and antibiotic usage. This list includes most Americans!
Among the symptoms of a vitamin B1
deficiency are mental confusion and aphonia (difficulty speaking). Others include depression, irritability
and memory lossÓ (Kutsky, p.216).
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS
These
are also essential for good mental health in some cases. Unfortunately, today they are found in
abundance only in fish oils, flaxseed oil, hemp oil and to some degree cod
liver oil and some other sources such as grass fed beef and free-range chicken
fat. However, most people do not
get nearly enough of these critical nutrients.
One
of these, DHA, is critical for young growing babies and children. ChildrenÕs brains absolutely require a
lot of it for proper development.
Many other nutrients, of course, are also important as well.
Toxic metals are minerals that have no
known necessary function in the body, and in fact have very harmful effects on
the body. Examples are lead,
cadmium, copper, aluminum, arsenic, mercury and a dozen others.
These metals are found in our air,
water, and food. We also acquire
them by contact, such as mercury found in dental fillings. They are difficult
to detect with standard blood and urine tests as they do not remain long in the
blood.
Copper. All toxic metals are toxic to the brain
and the nervous system. For
example, the late Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, PhD.,M.D taught an entire generation of
nutritionally oriented psychiatrists that many psychological problems, ranging
from depression to schizophrenia, can be caused by high copper levels. Pfeiffer
was the former director of the Brain Bio Center in Princeton, New Jersey. In Mental and Elemental Nutrients, he also mentions the
connection between copper and postpartum psychosis, autism and one type of
schizophrenia. To read more about
copper toxicity, read the article on this website, Copper Toxicity Syndrome.
Thus, toxic metals are an
important hidden cause of
emotional and physical illness that is often ignored because physicians of all
kinds are unaware of their presence and importance.
Mercury. Another important toxic metal
contributing to mental disorders is mercury. Pfeiffer (1975) states that 10% of all ingested mercury goes
to the brain, which, in turn, depletes it of necessary zinc. Zinc functions as a calming
neurotransmitter and a facilitator for important enzymes in the brain.
Drs. Casdorph and Walker mention
symptoms of mercury poisoning as depression, fearfulness, and frequent bouts of
anger or hallucinations.
Others are the inability to accept criticism, inability to concentrate,
indecision, irritability, loss of memory and a persecution complex.
Manganese
poisoning is often found to be prevalent in people with psychopathic behavior.
Casdorph and Walker (1995) discuss the case of James Huberty, who opened fire
with an assault rifle at a busy McDonaldÕs restaurant in San Ysidro, California
in 1984, killing 21 people. Among
other tests, the cityÕs medical examiner did a hair mineral test. It revealed extremely high levels of
lead and cadmium, and even higher levels of manganese. The examiner wrote that the killerÕs
mineral analysis showed a Òtrace metal pattern previously observed only in
violent sociopaths.Ó
In 1989, Patrick E. Purdy sprayed
assault riffle fire at children at the Cleveland Elementary School in Stockton,
California. He killed 5 children
and wounded 30 others. Then he
turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger. Post mortem hair mineral analysis showed also an extremely
high level of manganese. As it
happens, both killers were welders.
Among the metals they worked with were lead, cadmium, iron and
manganese, according to Casdorph and Walker (1995).
For much more information on the
important topic of toxic metals, read the article on this website entitled Toxic Metals.
Thousands of chemicals affect our
mental health today. They
range from simple food additives to pesticides, solvents, plastics and many
other industrial chemicals.
Many are neurotoxic and thus are capable of affecting emotions and behavior.
A few are well-known and
well-researched such as alcohol and marijuana. However, many
hundreds of others are unknown to most people. One reason is the severity of their effects vary depending
on an individualÕs sensitivity. So
while one person is hardly affected by chemicals such as pesticides, others
become agitated and even violent.
TCE. An example of a toxic chemical that
affects the nervous system and behavior is is trichloroethylene (TCE). It is commonly found in homes and
schools, in adhesives, coffee, copy machines, dry cleaning fluid, floor polish,
food additives, fumigants, glue, ink, paint, rug shampoo, and more.
Dr. Doris Rapp, MD mentions that
symptoms of TCE exposure symptoms include central nervous system damage,
depression, dizziness, fatigue, and psychosis. She gives the example of William, a student whose grades
were typically between 85 and 90 percent.
Shortly after the school installed new carpet, his grades dropped to
barely passing. He switched to a
different school with plain wooden floors, and his grades returned to their
original high levels.
Fluoride has been
shown by Dr. Rapp and others to have dramatic effects on childrenÕs emotions
and fine motor skills. She gives
the example of a ten-year-old girl who had been depressed for two years. During that period she had been taking
fluoride tablets. When she was
tested with the fluoride and asked to draw a picture, she drew a face with
tears rolling down her cheeks.
Stopping the fluoride tablets and
eliminating other exposure to fluoride in water , foods and toothpaste caused a
dramatic improvement in MarciaÕs symptoms.
Chlorine. Another chemical that can cause
problems is chlorine, found in tap water, and even moreso in swimming pools and
hot tubs. Dr. Rapp gives an
example of eight-year-old William.
He was tested for chlorine after his mother noticed he fell asleep
during an exciting dolphin and whale show at Wonderland. WilliamÕs handwriting (normally neat) became unreadable when
he was tested to sensitivity to chlorine.
Once again, much more could be written
and has been written elsewhere about the detrimental effects of toxic chemicals
on our brain and resulting behavioral problems. We love Dr. Doris RappÕs rather large textbooks as sources
of information on this topic.
THE IMPORTANCE OF
DETOXIFICATION
To deal with the problem of toxic
metals and toxic chemicals in the environment, many people benefit from a
detoxification regimen. This can
be done at home at low cost. We
have articles that cover this topic in depth in the book, Sauna
Therapy, for example.
Detoxification is so important for
some cases of mental and emotional illness that it deserves a separate article,
though here I am just mentioning this critical idea. It has been practiced for many years by followers of L. Ron
Hubbard, the founder of Scientology.
More than half a million people have gone through their sauna
detoxification program to improve and get rid of drug and alcohol addiction. It also works well to help reduce
toxicity with many chemicals and toxic metals.
The Hubbard program, while excellent,
must be done at a center under doctorÕs supervision and it is costly. It takes about a month in most cases
and may cost several thousand dollars.
One spends several hours in a sauna each day with a doctor or medical
technician keeping a close watch.
For this reason, we developed a much less costly program that can be
done at home, even while working a regular 9 to 5 job. It is described in our book, Sauna
Therapy.
Seven areas have been identified in
which nutrition and biochemistry affect emotions and behavior. They include a persons energy level, the impact of the oxidation rate and the effects of food reactions on the central nervous
system. Other areas discussed are
the impact of blood sugar problems,
toxic metals, nutrient deficiencies and environmental chemicals on emotional and mental well-being.
The article concludes with a short
discussion of another critical topic in mental health, detoxification. This is a controversial area today with
all sorts of practitioners offering a variety of therapies with machines,
baths, clay, patches and other paraphernalia. We strongly recommend the infrared sauna and coffee enemas
or colon cleansing, however, as the most powerful and also the least costly and
most important, the safest methods that can be done in the privacy of any
home.
All these areas have been studied
extensively, many for thirty to one hundred years or even more. However, they have not been
incorporated in the medical approach to mental health that is so dominated by
drug therapy today. Yet these
factors contribute to many conditions for which people seek counseling.
Addressing these factors would greatly
enhance the success rates of counselors and other professionals who work with
emotional and behavioral disorders.
I am pleased to help anyone with information, training and other
materials that may be of assistance.
References
Berkow, R., editor,
(1977) The Merck Manual, thirteenth
edition, Pennsylvania, Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories.
Carlson, N. (2004) Physiology of Behavior, eighth edition,
Massachusetts, Pearson Education,Inc.
Casdorph,H.R. and
Walker, M. (1995) Toxic Metal Syndrome,
How Metal Poisonings Can Affect Your Brain. New York: Avery Publishing
Group.
Crook,W.G. (1999). The Yeast Connection Handbook.
Tennessee: Professional Books, Inc.
Feingold, B., (1985) Why
Your Child Is Hyperactive?, New York, Random House Books.
Gittleman,A.L., (1999) Why Am I Always So Tired?, New York:
Harper Collins Publishers.
Hoffer,A. & Walker,
M. (1978) Ortho-Molecular Nutrition. Connecticut,
Keats Publishing.
Kutsky, R.J. (1981). Handbook of Vitamins, Minerals and Hormones,
2nd edition. New York, Van
Nostrand Reinhold Co.
Pfeiffer, C., (1972) Mental and Elemental Nutrients,
Connecticut, Keats Publishing.
Rapp, D. (1996) Is This Your ChildÕs World?, New York,
Bantam Books.
Segala, M. (2000) Disease Prevention And Treatment,
Florida, Life Extension Foundation
Watson, G., (1972) Nutrition and Your Mind, New York,
Bantam Books.
Watson, G., (1979) Personality Strength and Psycho-Chemical
Energy, New York, Harper and Row Publishers.
Wilson, L. (2005) Nutritional Balancing and Hair Mineral
Analysis, L.D. Wilson Consultants, Inc. Publishers.
Wilson, L., (2003) Sauna
Therapy, LD Wilson Consultants, Inc.
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