Too Good to be True? Nutrients Quiet the Unquiet Brain--A Four Generation Bipolar Odyssey

I have been researching the drug industry and psychiatry over the past year and have attended a Harvard Medical School seminar to see what is being taught concerning psychopharmacology. What I have learned is that for generations, orthomolecular physicians have been curing mental illness by recognizing that brain malfunctions are caused by medical problems such as thyroid, kidney, and sleep disorder problems, an immune disorder cerebral allergy, metal toxicity, Candida infestation and enzyme and nutritional imbalances such as essential fatty acids deficiency (malnourishment). Biochemical testing can assist in determining underlying causes. Harvard's Dr. Stoll recommends fish oil to provide essential Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins as an effective treatment for depression. According to Prescription for Nutritional Healing P. 448, A thyroid condition can cause fatigue, mood swings and depression, P. 153: An allergy is an inappropriate response by the body's immune system to a substance that is not normally harmful." P. 157: "Cerebral allergies cause swelling of the lining of the brain." P. 154: "Persons between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five are the most allergy-prone..." Entire food families can cause allergic reactions in susceptible people. Repeated headaches, or schizophrenic, violent, or aggressive reactions, can be an indicator. Foods such as corn, wheat, rice, dairy products, and chocolate, and certain food additives, are the most common offenders but chemicals such as petrochemicals or other substances, like mold can also cause serious problems. Other manifestations of food allergies are; acne, arthritis, asthma, chest and shoulder pains, colitis, depression, fatigue, food cravings, headaches, hemorrhoids, insomnia, intestinal problems, muscle disorders, obesity, sinus problems, ulcers, and unexplained dramatic weight changes. The list goes on and on. Allergies can also affect children diagnosed as Autistic or exhibiting ADHD. To cure, orthomolecular physicians have patients stop eating what they are allergic to. One doctor I read about reported that about 50% of his supposedly schizophrenic patients were just allergic. These physicians remove toxic metals from the body, they rid the body of Candida, and they provide supplements as needed. A proper diet is also wise to fuel the brain with essential nutrients and exercise to provide oxygen to cells and to assist in removing toxins via sweat glands. Unfortunately, the drug industry has such an influence on psychiatrists that it is still common to do superficial physical testing (if any at all), ignore the results, and rather than determine the cause and fix the problem, they try to cover up symptoms with mega doses of drugs that cause damage and even disability. Just one of many adverse effects from psychiatric medicine is brain damage - the neurotransmitter imbalance known as Parkinsonism where a person can no longer walk or talk normally due to extreme slowness. According t

Thank you for writing this book. It is a poignant tale of a father watching his son suffer from a little understood illness. He has personally empowered me not to just accept a standard diagnosis for myself, but to seek answers above and beyond the label the medical community has decided to give me. I can not thank him enough, and praise him for seeking answers for his son Chris.

I loved Dave's book and was so thankful to find someone who I could relate to in being unsatisfied with standard medical care for bipolar disorder. Dave is passionate about finding a solution to help his son and others. I am hopeful that someday soon the medical profession will explore alternative care so that they could work together to end the brain illnesses that destroy lives. Because of the cost involved in seeking health care outside of insured coverage, most people rely on inefficient medications and their side effects. By gleaning from the research done by others, new avenues are available to me. I look forward to being healed someday and appreciate the work that Dave and others do to direct me in the healing process.

I have read lots of books searching for helpful information about bipolar and this is the best, most relevant book that I've been able to find.

Do you remember Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath"? This book actually reminds one of the award-winning novel. Steinbeck writes a chapter about the Joad family, then a chapter on the "big picture". Moyer does a similarly exemplary job of interweaving the personal with the general in a way that is really quite captivating.Moyer discusses his family history. We learn about a malady that appears to have effected distance relatives, his dad, and finally his son. We learn how it can impact a family. We learn about a health care system that too often is ineffective and, at the same time, lacks respect for the patient and loved-ones. We also learn about the incredible complexity of bipolar disorder, brain chemistry, and the myriad of potential solutions to the disorder. It is this last aspect that offers hope to those impacted by the disorder.The is a book that both touches and educates us. A hearty thumbs-up for both a moving and informative work.