Nutritional Influences on Mental Illness: A Sourcebook of Clinical Research

If you have a serious interest in the type of scientific research that has been conducted on mental health and nutrition - than this compilation of research studies is worth the big bucks. Might be helpful in working with a physician. If technical material overwhelmes you than this is not the book you want...

This book contains a myriad of studies, case reports, theoretical discussions on the effects of nutrition on the major mental disorders. The author clearly points out that the book is not intended for self diagnosis and treatment. However, the ideas are so powerful that many can use some of the ideas for just that purpose. For example, ADHD children don't handle tartrazine (F & D yellow) very well. It chelates out zinc which is needed for many brain metabolic processes, including making omega-3 fatty acids available to the brain, which are also in short supply in ADHD children, in bipolar patients, in depressed patients, and alcoholics. So now we have a logical explanation why many ADHD children react poorly to food colorings and why omega-3 fatty acid supplementation doesn't necessarily help all ADHD children. Here is another one. Excess phosphorus in the diet increases aggressve behavior of ADHD children. This comes from processed meats, cheeses, and colas, among other things. The book is filled with so many mind wrenching surprises that any professional or parent who reads it with an open mind will be unable to continue with business as usual. Too bad the book didn't get published in time for Karen Carpenter. She could have increased her survival chances by simply taking a zinc supplement. After reading this book, I am convinced that the day is coming when we will be looking at today's methods of treating mental disorders and comparing it with discredited practices from a century ago. This book has changed my fundamental views of "mental" disorders which are not "mental" at all, but which are physical "central nervous system disorders."