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Our Body's Natural Chemicals Affect Emotions, Behavior And Mood

In her book, Depression Free, Naturally, (1999 Ballantine) Dr. Joan Matthews Larson invites you to examine biological chemical deficiencies as the causes behind dozens of physical/emotional conditions that include anxiety, mood swings, irritability, poor memory, depression, headache, insomnia, fatigue, reduced initiative, compulsiveness, cravings, paranoia, confusion and many more. So often, we are quick to place blame for our moods and symptoms on other people, events, or things in our environment rather than looking to a more reasonable at-home cause, in ourselves.

I see this often in my practice as people start but never continue or finish programs requiring nutrition and lifestyle changes. They continue searching for remedies here, there and everywhere, rather than making some of the necessary changes that will bring them results. Why don't we take better care of ourselve –s? One of the key reasons, I believe is, understandably, intimidation. We are most intimidated by that which we know the least about. Most individuals, including medical doctors, have not acquired knowledge and experience working with natural, healthy lifestyles, foods and supplements. Our entire society seems well schooled in trying to solve every symptom instantaneously, with a synthetic drug, and if that doesn't work, trying a different pill or just more of them.

But little attention is given to the true causes behind their symptoms. Medical tests often do not reveal the true health of the individual or what gland, organ, or body system is compromised. When the symptoms persist, hearsay, rather than personal investigation often prevails as the individual seeks alternative remedies, whatever they may be.

The alternatives are many. One of the first and most important is motivation to learn more about our own health and apply some basic principles, just as one learns more about effective leadership from Steven Covey or seeks out experts on management, finance or real estate. Even new car buying often gets more research and investigation than one might devote to health issues. Our health has been put on the back burner for decades, as the American family strives to keep pace with careers, information, growing families, more activities bigger homes, more expensive cars and a hectic lifestyle that just won't quit. I often visualize our entire social structure self destructing from its own shear weight and volume, like a giant nervous breakdown.

The second and next most important alternative is planning and prevention. We might better resolve bacteria in the schools lunch programs by making sure the food supply originates from a clean, organic and chemical free environment to begin with rather than irradiating it with even more harmful substance at the last stop. But let's not get started on those examples, and there are plenty to draw from that result in the toxicity, stress and nutrient deficiency causing our degenerative conditions of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Each one of the the causes of disease: toxicity, nutritional deficiency and stress, can be said to cause the others. For example, toxins created biochemically in the body or environmentally ingested cause stress on the body and internal responses robbing the body of nutrients. Stress is toxic to the body, ending up in malabsorption. Nutritional deficiencies cause a host of stresses to the body, ending up in autointoxication, and so on. Nutrient deprivation can be crippling. This is not a new concept, yet little attention is paid to the impact it has one our well being. Freud predicted in 1896 - and by 1927 had become firmly convinced - that one day all these mental disturbances we are trying to understand will be treated by means of hormones or similar substances. Now we know that a chemically disrupted brain is not best helped by talk therapy. In the 1950's, Abram Hoffer, Canadian biochemist and psychiatrist, began to apply research on pellagra (a disease causing confusion, disorientation and memory disturbance) to psychiatirc patients. Niacin (Vitamin B3 deficiency) had already been established as the cause of pellagra. Here is a natural substance that prevents a psychotic state. During World War II both U.S. and Canadian scientists conducted studies, that over the course of six months, showed direct correlation between unavailable brain and body chemicals and severe physical and psychiatric changes that lingered even after the studies ended, despite stable intellectual levels. Generous grants are given to patent drugs that continue the profit margins and power of the pharmaceutical industry.

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, prescriptions cause 140,000 deaths yearly, yet no drug yet patented can duplicate the role of natural body chemicals. Because there is no profit for them to develop natural brain/body chemicals (which cannot be patented because they are not synthetic) they continue to increase their power as the landlords of both the medical and health care/insurance professions, producing drugs that suppress symptoms without curing the underlying problem.

Our new age hasn't been all that easy on us. Over the last several decades our American lifestyle has undergone a cascade of changes affecting the mental, physical, and spiritual core of generations, old and young alike, spreading to many countries who want to wear the cloak of Western civilization. Unfortunately, our bodies cannot adapt fast enough to the swift rise of copious substances detrimental to our total well being. Our so called progress is scarred with the ravages of our hectic new age:

1) poor diet: hypoglycemia, diabetes and other conditions steming from the sugars, food additives, dyes and chemical refinements they are subjected to in processing.

2) Chemical pollutants, radiation and other synthetic sensitivities: zenoestrogens in plastics, antibiotics/hormones/chemicals in dairy, eggs, meat, poultry, highly processed foods, flours, sugars, etc.; toxic chemicals in produce, etc.

3) Accumulation of heavy metals in our brain and body organs.

4) Vaccinations: injections of live viruses over and over accumulate to emerge years later as degenerative diseases often never associated with vaccines (i.e. autism, Parkinsons, Addisons, AIDs, etc.)

No wonder we are angry, irritable, anxious and depressed. The toxic condition of our brains and bodies, undetected in the annual physical or suspect as your child appears to glow with youthful exuberance, lays hidden until the toxic overload spills over and the body takes on an "I can't take it any more attitude", often and regrettably, bringing on physical aggression with violent and tragic consequences.

Studies done on the East Coast by Dr ä. Stephen Schoenthaler and Dr. Carolyn Brown in Berkeley, California showed remarkable reductions in disciplinary incident reports at centers treating violent and delinquent juveniles with biochemical repair as well as therapy. Special attention is given to possible hypoglycemia, allergies and brain toxicity. Incredible results were documented when attending to something as common as dropping blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Recognized by: mood swings, irregular meals, mostly junk food, fatigue, indecision, and 30 other symptoms that give us clues. Countered with: reduction/elimination of: sugars/simple carbohydrates (baked goods), colas, additives, chemically processed foods and drinks, alcohol, prescriptives, aspirin and other OTC drugs, overexercising. And further countered with weight management, smaller more frequent meals including quality protein (Burger King does not suffice)...using the hypoglycemic diet guidelines available. NOTE: there are a number of conditions that increase blood sugar levels, also.

Toxic conditions may emerge from excesses as well as deficiencies. Excess manganese, for example, confirmed by hair analysis or serum tests, can be held in the body at toxic levels. A 5-year study at University of California, Irvine, found manganese levels in the head hair of 63% of violent criminals (vs.11% of the nonviolent controls) to be 400% higher. That's correct, four hundred. In addition, scientists have identified one major source of manganese: today's infant formulas contain 40-60 times more manganese than that naturally present in mother's milk.

According to Dr. Larsen (Depression Free, Naturally) over 30 scientific papers now report significant reductions in aggressive and violent behavior by lowering toxic element levels and providing individualized nutrient treatment with ADD children. Three studies report that the hair of attention deficit (ADD) children had 100% higher amounts of manganese than non ADD children. Yet, we cannot do without adequate amounts of minerals and in the correct ratios, which produce energy and the many chemical reactions in our bodies.

Between the poor soil content, commercial fertilizers and mineral deficient crops further degenerated with chemical sprays, no wonder we develop diseases of deficiency. Food processors further complicate matters by replacing refined foods such as white flour with additional amounts of iron, which can lead to a serious buildup on iron in the body if not needed. Remember that all body systems are tied together. One of the first things I am still tempted to do upon hearing of a new product or the possibility of a deficiency, is to run out and start supplementing. This is paramount to trying to fix a headache with asprin or other OTCs. Although it might provide relief of the symptom, it's a drug that irritates the stomach tissues, often causes bleeding with continued use, accumulates and may damage the liver, and doesn't go toward the cause of the pain.
When we remember that our body functions are dependent on each other, we start with digestion. This process requires hydrochloric acid in sufficient levels in the stomach to begin the digestion process. Additional digestive enzymes may be needed as we age. We need to concentrate on digestion being the key factor, even over the foods eaten, because if we do not digest whatever it is we eat, it becomes toxic to the body. In order to keep up the body's nutrient stores, digestion must provide the proper mix of enzymes, trace minerals, amino acids--all working together to bring the food to the right frequency match of your particular system. If many glands test weak, we can look to deficient hormones that rely on amino acids and trace minerals and which are needed as the body's chemical messengers.



So in addition to the digestive system, the hormonal system and endocrine glands play a huge part in the body's amazing symphony and in our ability to handle the hectic lifestyle we have built for ourselves.