The Antidepressant Survival Guide: The Clinically Proven Program to Enhance the Benefits and Beat the Side Effects of Your Medication

Finally an integrated approach to long-term management of depression. This book bridges the gap between traditional and "alternative" approaches to depression. If you are an intelligent, educated person coping with a serious mood disorder, this is the ideal guide. This approach maximizes the benefits of diet, exercise, and vitamins; while acknowledging that SSRI medication is still a critical part of treatment for many. The author has impressive qualifications and backs up his advice with solid research references. The best popular work on the management of depression that I have read since my diagnosis over a decade ago.

Dr. Hedaya has written a good book. He gives hope to people on anti-depressants that they can return to an active life. I especially benefitted from exercise program, diet (5 meals/day, balance carbohydrate and protein in ratio 2:3, get rid of sugar, caffeine....in your diet ), and supplements omega-3 oils, B vitamins.... However, my word of caution - he gives statistics on his patients who have adrenal and thyroid gland problems..... I was given the same diagnosis after my first visit, as well as a host of other problems were diagnosed. After great expense and an enormous amount of testing, none of the original diagnoses panned out ie. my health improved from the basics - diet/exercise and some supplements. If you consider doctors on a spectrum of those who test too little to those who test too much, Dr. Hedaya is definitely on the far extreme of testing a lot (as far as my own experience). So my suggestion, is to follow the suggested diet and exercise as well as the supplements for at least 6-12 months before you spend thousands of dollars on a host of expensive tests. For myself, it took about 12-18 months to return to my normal weight, energy levels ....

As a medical author who has preached and written about nutritional/orthomolecular medicine over the years, I was very, very impressed with Dr. Hedaya's book; finally, we have a bona-fide physician with powerful credentials (Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown U., I believe) who extolls the benefits---not only of super nutrition in the treatment of depression, but of the food allergy connection (long disputed for its relationship to mood but clinically understood by 'fringe' clinicians for 50 years); hypoglycemia (remember that syndrome? it hasn't gone anywhere!); thyroid function (many doctors prescribe standard thyroid tests which may often miss more subtle defects in that organs' function, but Dr. Hedaya explains exactly what tests are needed to uncover these subtle defects and their connection to depression); vitamins (he actually recommends B-complex in the 50mg. range along with B-12 injections when necessary); adrenal function, and many others. Hedaya even includes notes that your doctor can read regarding testing (kind of like he calling your doctor on your behalf to convey information which is not always put into practice). Very well done. If there is a slight negative to the book, Hedaya doesn't really endorse St. John's Wort (but does includes fair reasons why there may be some concerns regarding its use and does mention a qualified distributor) or Sam-E (which I have read is fairly safe, and has passed some clinical scrutiny in the treatment of depression). Also, Hedaya doesn't appear to make any mention of 5-HTP (the modern-day tryptophan derivative which has been shown in a number of clinical studies, to naturally and therapeutically improve brain levels of serotonin---the chemical implicated in many depressions). Nor are the very serious side of effects of Paxil withdrawl dealt with in any substantial way (only to say gradual withdrawl is the rule of thumb). I have seen, for example, some studies suggesting that there are nutrient remedies involving glutathione transport(?) which can significantly reduce Paxil side-effects which many support groups on the web report as horrible.Having said all of this, I would still highly recommend Hedaya's book, as 90% of it is excellent, timely, informative, and deals with the medicine/nutrient connection in a way I haven't seen since Durk Pearson's book, Life Extension, first appeared over 2 decades ago. Finally, highly credentialed physicians in the medical establishment are 'getting it.' Bravo!

Dr. Hedaya has written a manual for wellness. This book is a serious breakthrough and a must read for all medical professionals as well as patients. Dr. Hedaya follows a logical progression using the theory that we are what we eat. I have witnessed numerous successes using his ground rules. He is definitely on the cutting edge! I say it again, A MUST READ!