The UltraMind Solution (43 page)

One of my patients told me the story of her schizophrenic brother who woke up from his madness by simply taking high doses of zinc, B
₆
, and niacin.

Dr. Abram Hoffer, the father of orthomolecular psychiatry, has successfully treated thousands of schizophrenic patients using this approach.
⁵⁸
An extensive review of the mauve factor in many diseases by Woody McGinnis
⁵⁹
and his group documents how the neurotoxin influences mood, brain, and behavior. Mauve factor can be measured in the urine. Taking zinc, B
₆
, and niacin can correct this problem.

Low zinc also affects taste and appetite and is linked to eating disorders. If you can’t taste your food, you either become anorexic or you overeat!

Adequate zinc is absolutely critical for a healthy brain and body. And many of us are deficient and don’t know it. So eat pumpkin seeds and take zinc.

Selenium

Selenium is worth mentioning when it comes to the health of the brain and mood because it functions in a number of key systems in the body.

It helps you make thyroid hormone, so necessary for proper mood and brain function.

It helps your body make more glutathione, and supports your body’s main detoxification and antioxidant system. (We will discuss this more in
chapter 10.
)

And it is important in helping your body make some of the essential fatty acids which we know have a huge impact on mood, autism, ADHD, dementia, and just about everything else to do with the brain.

No wonder studies have found that selenium supplementation boosts mood!
⁶⁰

This journey through the world of nutrients and the brain is just a glimpse of the astounding world of scientific literature on this subject. I have highlighted just a few of the most important considerations and the implications for treatment of our epidemic of mental and brain disorders.

By using this approach, we go to the roots of the problem. We focus on how the body works, why it breaks down, and how to fix it using some very simple principles.

As you move toward UltraWellness and an UltraMind, remember what we learned in this chapter:

1.
You must have the essential fats—DHA, EPA, PC, and PS—for your brain and every one of your 100 trillion cells to function well.

2.
Amino acids are the building blocks of moods, thought, and memory—get them tuned up. They help produce all the neurotransmitters needed for optimal brain function.

3.
Carbohydrates from whole unprocessed plant foods full of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals, and fiber are essential for your health and your brain.

4.
Keep the methylation and sulfation trains running with the right types and amounts of folate, B
₁₂
, B
₆
, and sources of sulfur in the diet and supplements. (See
chapter 10
for more information about the sulfation train specifically.)

5.
Most of us have a vitamin D deficiency. Getting enough on board will help your brain and prevent many diseases.

6.
Magnesium is the major relaxation mineral.

7.
Zinc and selenium are absolutely critical for a happy, healthy brain and body.

Nutrition is of fundamental importance. It is the foundation on which your body runs, the source for all the raw materials you need to thrive. What you have learned in this chapter should form the basis for a whole new understanding of how your mind and your body function.

But this is still only one of the keys to UltraWellness.

Now let’s look at how hormonal imbalances affect your thoughts, mood, memory, and behavior.

——————

Many of us are living a life out of balance but don’t recognize it.

Do you feel your life is a song played badly out of tune?

Does your mood and energy swing up and down, making your life crazy?

Do you crave sugar or salt?

Are you overweight and putting on more and more belly fat?

If you are a woman, do you have premenstrual syndrome or painful or heavy periods?

Are you depressed?

Do you sleep poorly?

Are you less interested in sex?

Do you have thinning hair, dry skin; do you feel sluggish in the mornings?

Do you feel tired but wired?