The Mood Cure by Julia Ross is one of the first books I recommend to anybody who is concerned about depression but doesn’t want to take antidepressant drugs, or who wants to get off the antidepressants they’re on. It is a really interesting book, and for a book about brain chemistry, relatively easy to understand!
Ross is an expert in nutritional psychology and executive director of Recovery Systems in Mill Valley, California, a clinic that specializes in treating mood, eating and addiction problems with nutrient therapy.
You can take a simple Mood Cure quiz to find out if you might be low in serotonin, norepinephrin, thryroid, GABA, endorphins, or have unstable blood sugar. For serotonin deficiency, Ross recommends 5-HTP, an inexpensive supplement you can get at any health food store – people often feel the effect of 5-HTP almost immediately. For endorphin deficiency, DLPA is the supplement of choice.
Among other things, I learned that because my ancestors came to the US from Ireland, I should be sure to take extra fish oil. According to Ross, people with Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Scandinavian, Japanese and northern coastal Native American ancestors have inherited a need for omega-3 fats. If that sounds like you, I always recommend NOW Ultra Omega-3 Fish Oil Softgels – you can get a bottle of 180 for $20 at amazon.com – because they are coated and distilled in a way that makes them friendly to your digestive system (no fishy burps!). Shipping is about $5 – but if you stock up on 2 bottles, you can get free shipping.
P.S. If your mood isn’t where you’d like it to be, consider trying acupuncture. Acupuncture naturally balances your brain chemistry to improve mood without side effects. Yet another client said to me yesterday, “I didn’t realize just how low I was until I had acupuncture. I feel like myself again.”
