The Hypoglycemic Health Association NEWSLETTER · The Hypoglycemic Health Newsletter - 1 - Dec,...

The Hypoglycemic Health Newsletter Dec, 2000, Vol 16 No 4- 1 -

PATRON: Steve McNaughton, BE (NSW)

Volume 16 Number 4

The Hypoglycemic Health Association

Phone: (02) 9553-0084, Fax: (02) 9588-5290

PRESIDENT: Dr George SamraSecretary: Nicole SamraTreasurer: Sue LitchfieldEditor: Jurriaan Plesman, B.A. (Psych), Post. Grad. Dip. Clin. Nutr.

Steering CommitteeMembers:

Auditor: Hugh D Macfarlane, Chartered Accountant

The NEWSLETTER of the Hypoglycemic Health Association is distributed to members of the Associationand to Health Professionals with an interest in nutritional medicine and clinical ecology.

Catering Committee: Reg & Lynnette Grady

Dr Katrina WatsonJoy SharpTed Grant

Our Next Public Meeting will be at 2.00 PM

on Saturday, the 2 December, 2000

at YWCA5-11Wentworth Ave, SYDNEY

and our guest speaker is

Daniel Baden

who will be speaking

on the subject of

“Hepatitis C - A Naturopathic

Approach”

Correspondence: THE HYPOGLYCEMIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION, P.O. BOX 830, KOGARAH, N.S.W. 1485

NEWSLETTERDecember 2000

ABN: 65-846-851-613Registered Charity CFN 16689

Daniel Baden is a Naturopath with 15years experience. He has lectured in clinicalnutrition to undergraduates at the majorSydney Naturopathic colleges since 1990.Daniel also presents regular seminars tohis peers around Australia and to otherinterest groups. Daniel has publishedarticles on several topics includingOsteoporosis and Vaccination and nowwrites a regular column in WellbeingMagazine. Daniel has been the "GuestNaturopath" on several television showsand enjoyed and "stint" on radio in a talk-back health program. Daniel is the Directorof Traditional Medicine Supplies andPhytocare, and acts as a consultant toseveral other Nutritional and Herbalcompanies.

We will celebrate the end of the first year of this millenium with a big CHRISTMAS PARTY on the 2nd December 2000 . See page2 on how you can contribute to make this party a success. Thanks to the generous donations by professionals, this Association has survivedfinancially this year and the Committee has postponed the unpleasant decision to increase the annual subscriptions for another year. Ournew energetic Treasurer, Sue Litchfield, has several plans to increase our income by organizing more attractive raffles and members shouldgive their full support. Members’ annual fees are and will remain our mainstay for the continued existence of the Association and membersare asked to forward their annual fees ($20 p.a. & $15 p.a. for pensioners and students) by copying and filling in the application form onthe last page of the Newsletter. Members are encouraged to recruit new members by lending out their Newsletters to friends and doctors.

Attention is also drawn to our new web site at: <http://www.companyontheweb.com/hypoglycemia_australia> that has alreadyattracted more than 300 hits in a short space of time. It includes copies of our Newsletters and contains articles on clinical nutrition, recipesand a section on Psychotherapy. Our thanks go to Amitee Robinson for helping design the web site (She can be contacted per web site).

Our mission is to educate and inform members of developments in complementary medicine, so as to empower people to better controltheir health. Natural medicine has a lot to offer in almost all areas of degenerative diseases.


Any opinion expressedin this Newsletter does notnecessarily reflect theviews of the Association.

Books for sale at the meetingSue Litchfield: SUE’S COOKBOOKDr George Samra's bookThe Hypoglycemic Connection(now out of print) is only available in

public libraries).Jurriaan Plesman: GETTING OFF THE

HOOKThis book is also available in most public

libraries (state and university)

The Newcastle branch of the Associa-

tion are still meeting with the assistance ofBev Cook. They now meet at ALL PURPOSECENTRE, Thorn Street, TORONTO. Turnright before lights at Police Station, the Centreis on the right next to Ambulance Station. Formeeting dates and information ring Mrs. BevCook at 02-4950-5876. At the next meetingon 25/11/00 at 1.30 pm Dr George Samra willbe speaking on "Depression".

Entrance fee at meetings Entry fees for non-members will be $5.00,

members $3.00 & families $5.00

Donations for raffleOne way of increasing our income is by

way of raffles. If any member has anything todonate towards the raffle, please contact DrGeorge Samra’s surgery at 19 Princes High-way, Kogarah, Phone 9553-0084 or Sue Litchfieldat 9971-5657 or ([email protected]).

At the last meeting on the 2 Sept 2000,Nada Bartulovich won the raffle. The prizewas a 12-month subscriprion to BURKE'SBACKYARD MAGAZINE. The lucky doorprize was won by Royce Burkett.

Fund raising activitiesWe need money, ideas, donations, bequests

(remember us in your will), donations over $2are tax deductible.

Lyn Grady of Nowra has generously do-nated two hand-knit jumpers and poncho all ofwhich have won first and second prizes inregional competitions. We thank her for herthoughtful donation. All of these have nowbeen sold for a total of $200 at Dr Samra'ssurgery where they were on display. Themoneys received were donated to the Asso-ciation.

Letter from theTreasurer

I would like to thank all those who helpedout with the afternoon tea at the last meet-ing. It made life a lot easier for us all on thecommittee.

The raffle was a great success and raisedover $50. For those who were not at themeeting we were lucky enough to have ayear's subscription of Burkes BackyardMagazine donated which was a very gener-ous donation. Many thanks to the publish-ers of Burkes Backyard magazine.

The subscriptions for next year are due atthe next meeting. The committee has de-cided not to raise the subs for the next year.This is due mainly to those who have sogenerously donated to the society during theyear. We have now had $873 donated so farthis financial year. Many thanks to you all.Please remember that all donations over$2 are tax deductible.

I would think it is of more benefit to thehip pocket to give a donation than to pay themoney in fees.

If anyone has a favourite recipe or ahandy hint please do not be afraid to sendthem in as it is great to have a few freshideas.

Looking forward to meeting all thosenew members and meeting up with the oldones at next meeting.

Sue <[email protected]>

Story by Joy Sharp“I was always sick and I asked my General

Practitioner to send me to an allergist. He wasnot very enthusiastic about it, but I did go. Atthe same time I was seeing a chiropractor andhe had an idea that I was hypoglycemic. Hesuggested that I speak to my allergist aboutthis and I was sent for a Glucose ToleranceTest. When the results came through he sentme to see Dr George Samra. This is how myassociation began with the HypoglycemicHealth Association. I have been a patient ofDr George Samra since 1984 and he diag-nosed that I was suffering from ReactiveHypoglycemia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,plus Osteoarthritis, in addition to many foodand chemical sensitivities.

Being a very mature lady I don’t respondlike a young person, but I do manage to keepcontrol of the hypoglycemia most of the time.

As far as the chronic fatigue syndrome isconcerned it all depends on how well I pacemyself and the food sensitivities I have towatch very carefully.

In all I manage with the aid of an under-standing Dr George Samra, an osteopath andquite a few supplements.

Being interested in cooking I regularlysupply sugar-free, low allergenic recipes tothe Hypoglycemic Newsletter, as well help-ing out with the catering at our public meet-ings, and Committee meetings.

I was the treasurer of the Association for 7years and I am still an active Committeemember.”

Christmas PartyChristmas Party

Our next meeting at the YWCA,2 Wentworth Ave, Sydney will start

one hour earlier at 1 pm on 2ndDecember 2000.

Please bring along a plate ofsugar-free foods. Presents: TheCommittee asks everyone to partici-pate in the Lucky Dip. Bring a wrappedpresent worth about $5.00 with youand mark it "male" or "female". Thesewill be placed in special bags aspresents to your fellow members.Even if you don't, you will not bedisappointed!!

There will be presents for kids,and they are welcome.

Attention is drawn toour new Web Site at:www.companyontheweb.com/hypoglycemia_australiawhere you'll findarticles on clinicalnutrition and self-helpp s y c h o t h e r a p y .Copies of Newslettersare also availbale.

Recipesby Sue Litchfield

Barley Tea2/3-cup pearl barley8 cups water

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Spread thebarley onto a large baking tray and cook inthe preheated oven for 10-15 mins or untilthe barley is toasted and aromatic.

Bring the water to the boil in a largesaucepan when boiling add the barley andallow to simmer partially covered for 30mins or until the barley is very tender.

Strain the tea into a large heatproof jug orteapot. Discard the barley.

Tea maybe served hot or cool

Barley Water1 litre water2/3 cup BarleyFinely peeled rind of a lemon

Wash the barley thoroughly.Place all ingredients in a saucepan and

boil for gently for 1 hour. Strain and sweetento taste using sweetener of choice.

I like pear concentrateThis is great served cold in the summer.

This drink was always served in the olddays, as it will sustain life

Continued on Page 12


Why is every second person in Australia suffering from a chronic or

recurring illness?Orthodox medicine tends to look for a

germ of a particular disease (though not forchronic or degenerative diseases), and whereno germ can be found, the cause may be givenas unknown. Natural Health sees a com-pletely different picture. Recognising thatalmost all illnesses today are diseases ofcivilisation – which means diseases of life-style – the underlying causes of our vast rangeof health problems, plus premature ageing,become perfectly clear.

The basic causes of illness are to be foundin everyday living. Modern diet, stress, lackof exercise, and man-made chemicals are thefour key areas.

There is an almost inevitable progressionfrom modern lifestyle ... to deterioration withinthe body ... to disease. Understanding thisenables us to gain control of our physical andmental wellbeing.

In turn, this understanding is enhanced bythree basic principles which are considered tobe natural laws that underpin human healthand provide the key to the means of restoringand maintaining health.

Three Fundamental ‘Natural Health’Principles

During the last 100–150 years a number ofprominent individuals working in the fieldsof ‘Nature Cure’ and naturopathy have for-mulated their ideas and observations intophilosophies, theories and principles relatingto health. Although there may have beendisagreement on some of the details, mostlythere is a great deal of accord, and a commoncreed or set of principles could be drawn upwith ease. Of these principles, the followingthree would have to be considered the mostimportant and illuminating:

Principle No.1 Good health is the normalstate and should continue from birth untildeath. Illness and premature ageing will notoccur unless we do something to cause themto occur.

Principle No. 2 Broadly speaking, dis-ease is not an attack on the body by someforeign agent. Rather it’s the body’s defencesat work attempting to preserve the status quoof good health.

This principle depends on an understand-ing of the natural relationship between germsand humans. That germs are not the primary

Understanding Toxaemia – Hidden HavocBy

Roger French

Adapted from Chapter 4 of Roger French's book:

The Man who Lived in Three Centuries

cause of disease is elucidated in the nextchapter.

Principle No.3 The human body, giventhe right conditions, is an efficient self-heal-ing mechanism. We all know that a cut on theskin will heal, but what about damage tointernal organs? They have just the sameability to heal.

This principle is explored in the sectionsof this chapter that follow. The separate ques-tion of how to bring about self-healing is thesubject of Chapter 15.

Having seen in Chapter 2 the phenomenalhealth of populations that were isolated fromthe Western world, it is easier to accept thefirst principle, which is absolutely fundamen-tal. Arthritis, obesity, heart disease, stroke,osteoporosis, colds, flu, skin disease, etc,rarely arise because of defects in the humanbody; they occur because we unwittinglymake them happen.

Let us now start at the beginning of what,according to Natural Health theory and expe-rience, causes illness – or, better still, whatcauses health – and look at how diet, stress,exercise and chemicals affect body and mind.

Toxaemia From Food and ChemicalsFor many individuals, at the top of the list

of these lifestyle aspects is the typical modernway of eating, which is too concentrated,supplying an excess of fat, protein and refinedcarbohydrate, is deficient in fibre, vitaminsand minerals, and contains food additives,pesticides and stimulants such as coffee, tea,salt, pepper and alcohol. (Alcohol depressesthe mind but stimulates elimination.) Therewill be more on the modern diet in Chapter 6.

The inevitable result of this kind of eatingis that toxic waste-products of metabolismare formed more rapidly than they can beeliminated by the liver and kidneys and sobuild up in the body. This condition is re-ferred to in Natural Health as ‘toxaemia’ or‘acidosis’ – because the wastes tend to beacidic in nature and so tissue fluids becomemore acidic than they should be. (Note that inconventional medicine, the word ‘toxaemia’is used to relate to specific conditions.)

Synthetic chemicals, including air andwater pollutants, pesticides, food additivesand drugs, are often toxic and contribute totoxaemia. Chemicals are the subject of Chap-ter 11.

Lack of exercise (see Chapter 10) means

that circulation is sluggish and is not given theregular boost that is needed to flush wasteproducts out of the tissues and to the elimina-tive organs for detoxification and removalfrom the body. Poor tone of muscles andorgans results from lack of exercise as surelyas night follows day.

Stress and inadequate sleep devour vitalnerve energy and leave insufficient availablefor normal activities that include digestion,assimilation of nutrients and elimination ofwastes. As a result, waste products build upeven more quickly and the toxaemia increasesfurther. (Stress and sleep are the subjects ofChapter 9.)

The effect of negative attitudes such asanger, resentment, bitterness, intolerance andgreed may be likened to putting grit in thebearings of an engine – our systems wear outsooner. In contrast, positive attitudes such aslove, kindness, tolerance and generosity oilthe bearings for smooth running. Negativeattitudes indirectly contribute to toxaemia.

In coping with the demands of everydayliving – plus the toxins – overworked organsand tissues become exhausted or, more cor-rectly, enervated (depleted in nerve energy).Enervation diminishes elimination, which fur-ther increases the toxaemia, so a vicious cycleis created. The combination of toxaemia andenervation is the basic cause underlying mostdisease. There are no doubt other specificcauses, but the toxaemia that is just aboutubiquitous in Western peoples is almost al-ways a prerequisite.

How Do We Know If We Are Toxic?Toxaemia comes in all shades of grey,

ranging from a little to a lot, and the first thingeach of us will want to know is – how toxic amI? Unfortunately, there is no easy way to findout. In fact, it is possible to be in quite a‘polluted’ state and be unaware that anythingis wrong. Probably the most reliable indica-tion is provided by iridology (analysis of theiris of the eye), when conducted by a skilledpractitioner.

However, there are certainly signs that theindividual can look for to gain an idea. Hereare some of the more obvious ones, any ofwhich may be present.• Constantly feeling unwell, off-colour, a

bit ‘crook’.• Always tired, as though your batteries

were flat. The extreme case is chronicfatigue syndrome.


• Repeated minor ailments, like colds andheadaches. You appear to ‘pick up’infections easily.

• It’s an effort to drag yourself out of bedin the morning and you need coffee toget going.

• The breath is off and it’s not due toproblems with teeth.

• There is body odour that returns soonafter showering.

• The tongue is coated, especially firstthing in the morning.

• Wound healing is poor; the smallestcuts become inflamed and remain sofor days.

• There are persistent aches and pains thatare not due to physical injury or muscleor joint strain.

• There is degenerative disease.

Colds and Flu Are Our Safety ValveIf the internal pollution continued to build

up indefinitely, life would eventually be threat-ened. But the incredibly complex human bodyis well designed to cope with adversity anddoes not allow this to happen. Instead, whenits tolerance limit is reached, the body opensup an emergency channel of elimination tosiphon off some of the toxaemia.

Most commonly, toxins are sent to mucousmembranes in the nose, which are conven-iently close to the exterior. The mucous mem-branes become highly irritated, inflamed,swollen and painful, and mucus is secretedcopiously to literally wash wastes out of thebody. This process is none other than that ofthe common cold or, when more severe, influ-enza.

The same process can occur in other re-gions of the body, but is given different names.If it occurs in the voice box it is called laryn-gitis; in the bronchial tubes, bronchitis; in thelungs, pneumonia; in the stomach, gastritis; inthe small intestine, enteritis, and in the bowel,colitis. These are all different names for thesame basic process – an emergency elimina-tion via mucous membranes. If the elimina-tion is via the skin, where mucous membranesare not involved, the condition will be calleddermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and so on.

After the elimination has finished, the bodyis able to function at a higher level with moreenergy, that is, more normally. The personfeels better than they did before, as thoughthey have had an inner spring-clean – andindeed they have. The symptoms of acutedisease are simply the outwardly visible signsof tissue cleansing and self-healing at workrestoring the status quo.

By now it may have occurred to the readerthat germs have not even been mentionedamong the causes of these so-called viral orbacterial illnesses. So what part do germs playin the causes of disease?

Germs Are Nature’s ScavengersGerms certainly do have a role in disease,

but there is a subtle shift in thinking away fromthe conventional germ theory. This makes allthe difference in the approach to treating theillness.

The germ theory sees micro-organisms –bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa – as the

primary causes of the diseases with whichthey are associated, and the development of aninfectious disease as a matter of chance and/orlow resistance.

The classic Natural Health theory, whichhas been developed over a century by doctorsand natural therapists, sees the germ as beingthe secondary agent of disease, only able togain a foothold in a body which is alreadycongested with toxaemia, the toxaemia beingthe primary cause of disease. As the leadingmicrobiologist, Professor René Dubos, hassaid, germs normally cannot and do not attackhealthy tissue. They can only become viable,grow and multiply in a body that has somedegree of internal pollution.

The best way to visualise the role of germsis with a simple analogy. Consider a garbagecan. If the can is full of garbage, there will berats and flies around it. We can shoot the ratswith a rifle and spray the flies with poison, butas long as the garbage is there, rats and flieswill keep coming. On the other hand, if we tipthe garbage out and wash the can, there will beno rats or flies appearing and we won’t need tofire a single shot or spray any pesticide to befree of them.

So, drawing a comparison with the humanbody, if it is heavily congested with wasteproducts, there will periodically be germsfeeding on those wastes, manifesting as boutsof infectious disease. We may be able todestroy the germs by squirting shots of peni-cillin, etc, into the body, but as long as thetoxaemia is there, the bouts of illness willcontinue to occur.

If, on the other hand, we allow the body todetoxify by facilitating self-healing, there willbe no disease and we won’t need to use a singleshot of penicillin (or other antibiotic).

The difference between the two approachesis vast. Unfortunately the antibiotics destroynot only the pathogenic (disease-associated)bacteria but also the beneficial or ‘friendly’bacteria in the bowel that are of paramountimportance to health. These ‘friends’ produceB-vitamins, digest dietary fibre and protect usagainst pathogens. Their partial destructionallows Candida albicans to flourish, settingthe stage for Candidiasis and the symptomthrush. In addition, the antibiotic (meaning‘against life’), being itself toxic, contributesfurther to the toxaemia which was the originalcause of the illness in the first place. This ishardly the way to restore genuine health!

The most recent worry with antibiotics isthat their overuse is producing antibiotic-re-sistant bacteria, and this is ringing alarm bellsamong the medical profession and generalcommunity alike.

In contrast, nature’s way is not only pre-ventative against further infectious disease,but also contributes to an improvement inlong-term health and vitality.

The way to facilitate cleansing and self-healing is through short periods on ‘cleansing’diets such as fresh fruit juices or whole freshfruit. If it is possible to reside at a NaturalHealth centre, such as Hopewood Health Cen-tre (see Chapter 1), a closely supervised pro-gramme can be expected to bring the mostrapid improvement.

How to cleanse your system at home willbe explained in Chapter 15.

What determines the body’s capacity fordetoxifying and healing is vitality, the all-important key to restoring normal functionand abundant energy.

Vitality the Key to HealingVitality is defined as vital power, the abil-

ity to sustain life, to endure and performfunctions. The vitality we are concerned withis not necessarily that which manifests asphysical activity, but rather the available en-ergy of the tissues for performing their func-tions, especially healing.

The general pattern is that vitality is at amaximum at birth and declines throughoutlife to zero at the point of death. This declineis not steady; it is marked by localised risesand falls depending on the state of health at thetime, which in turn depends on our lifestyleand environment.

The capacity for healing is directly propor-tional to vitality at any particular time. Ifvitality is low, detoxification and healing willbe sluggish or unable to occur at all. Whenvitality is high, these processes will be promptand powerful and as a result symptoms will bemore severe, though short-lived.

So a high-vitality person with low-leveltoxaemia may develop no symptoms at all. Ifthis person has toxaemia aplenty, fever maydevelop and be quite high but all over in acouple of days. This is what commonly hap-pens with children, who normally have greatervitality than adults do.

A low-vitality person with low-level tox-aemia may feel unwell but otherwise have nosymptoms. They are literally too sick to getsick. When the toxaemia increases to substan-tial levels and illness finally manifests, thisperson may be sick for weeks or may becomechronically ill.

The human body is extremely complex andthere are numerous factors that affect healthand vitality, so there will be plenty of excep-tions to the classic examples above. These aresimply the general patterns that have beenobserved for over a century by naturopathsand lifestyle-minded doctors dealing withmany thousands of patients.

We Get Worse Before We Get BetterIn our daily lives, the operation of these

principles can sometimes produce seeminglystrange and disconcerting results. When weimprove our way of eating, for example, weoften get worse before we get better. We maydevelop a heavier cold or worse headache thanwe have had for a long time, hay fever mayflare up or a skin rash get worse – temporarily.

If the symptoms are understood to be thesigns of self-healing, the reason for them isfairly obvious. The improvement in lifestylehas brought about an increase in vitality andthe body is now able to commence healing.The symptoms are the outward signs of get-ting the ‘muck’ out of the system and recharg-ing the batteries.


Unfortunately, such symptoms are oftenmisinterpreted as signs that the better nutri-tion is doing harm, so the person reverts totheir former style of living. Through igno-rance they are denying themselves the goodhealth they are seeking, just when it is withintheir grasp. Had they persevered a little longer,they would have discovered that the symp-toms were very temporary and that rewardingresults were just around the corner.

Have you ever developed a minor ailmentas soon as you went on holiday after a periodof pressure, that is, as soon as you began torelax? The relief that the pressure is off givesa lift to vitality and a brief detoxification isinitiated. The body is grabbing the chance tocleanse now that it has the energy.

Even minor improvements in lifestyle canbring about an increase in vitality sufficient toregister as a rise in body temperature – forexample, breathing fresher air, sunbathing,relief from anxiety, better sleep and so on.

Increased vitality commonly results in acold, headache, skin rash, fever or the like, oroccasionally vomiting or diarrhoea. The liveris capable of cleansing itself by producingexcessive quantities of bile to act as a vehicleto carry away toxic substances. These maythen be removed from the body by vomiting,accompanied by nausea. Very unpleasant, butthis can be a life-saving mechanism.

One case history from the many successstories of Hopewood Health Centre was thatof a man whose liver had lost 90% of itsfunction and was constantly causing pain, dueto pesticide poisoning. A doctor gave the man,David, only 6–12 months to live. Duringclosely supervised cleansing, he vomited 47times in three days, and in the vomit he couldtaste every pesticide he’d ever used as a mar-ket gardener. The pain disappeared and medi-cal tests then showed that liver function hadbeen restored to normal. The doctor describedthe result as an “astronomical improvement”.

On follow-up two years later, David wasalive – and well! As so often happens, he hadbecome seemingly worse during the healingprocess, before getting better. In his case itsaved his life.

Another factor that has a bearing on vitalityis age, and this raises the subject of degenera-tive disease.

Degenerative Disease Isn’t NecessaryThe fact that vitality declines with age does

not mean that we must eventually suffer de-generative disease, a belief that in Chapter 2we saw was emphatically disproved by primi-tive peoples.

Continuing with an unhealthy lifestyle formany years, combined with the repeated sup-pression by drugs of the body’s efforts tocleanse itself of toxaemia, is, according toNatural Health theory, what produces degen-erative disease.

The decrease in vitality as we grow older iscompounded by the accumulating toxaemia.There comes a time when our bodies no longerhave sufficient vitality to cleanse themselveswith a cold, the flu or similar minor ailment.The build-up of toxins escalates and eventu-ally results in damage to organs or other tis-

sues. This is degenerative disease.Depending on diet, stress, other aspects of

lifestyle and inherited weaknesses, the degen-eration may manifest as arthritis, osteoporo-sis, gallstones, cirrhosis, ulcers, high bloodpressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, nervedamage or a host of other problems. By somemechanism that is now gradually coming to beunderstood, the degeneration may ultimatelyresult in cancer (see Chapter 17).

There is a tendency for accumulated waste-products to be deposited in the joints, wherethey irritate joint membranes, which in turnrespond with inflammation, pain and swelling– the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. At alater stage, or because of joint overload, thecartilage may be partly or wholly destroyed,and this is called osteoarthritis or, more cor-rectly, degenerative joint disease.

When we understand toxaemia, it is per-fectly clear why rheumatism and arthritis intheir various forms are the most widespreaddegenerative diseases in Australia, affectingone person in every six.

Fortunately, the same healing principlesthat apply to acute disease also apply to degen-erative disease. If the cause is removed andvitality subsequently restored, the body willattempt to heal itself. Generally speaking,provided there is not total destruction of tis-sue, it will do so.

The time required for full recovery may bea matter of weeks, months or even years.Fortunately, the initial improvement is oftenimmediate, which encourages the person topersevere. As a rule of thumb, it takes ap-proximately one month for each year of age torestore a high level of health. However, thereturn to good health may be greatly acceler-ated by periods of nutritional cleansing underprofessional supervision at a Natural Healthcentre like Hopewood. (For an explanation ofthe power of self-healing, refer to Chapter 15.)

Such high proportions of people with de-generative diseases have been observed toovercome their problems that there is no doubtthat much can be achieved. What is required isthe right information and experienced profes-sional supervision, plus determination andperseverance.Summary

Good health is the normal state for thehuman body and under normal conditionsshould continue from birth until death.

The human body, given the right condi-tions, is a near perfect self-healing mecha-nism.

Infectious disease is not a chance attack onthe body by some foreign organism. Gener-ally speaking, it is part of the body’s defenceprocesses at work.

The primary, underlying cause of mostacute and degenerative diseases is toxaemiaresulting from modern lifestyle.

The body’s ability to heal depends directlyon its level of vitality. The higher the vitality,the faster and more powerful the healing.

Improving lifestyle increases vitality andelimination of toxins, which may bring aboutsymptoms. These are but temporary and areoften wrongly interpreted as a sign that thelifestyle changes are doing harm. We often get

worse before we get better.Degenerative disease results from repeat-

edly suppressing minor ailments and persist-ing for many years with a lifestyle for whichthe human body was not designed.

Old age is not synonymous with disease.Disease is more common only because of theaccumulated effects of modern lifestyle.

It is in our own hands to maintain high-level physical and mental wellbeing to a ripeold age, if we wish.

About the Natural HealthSociety of Australia

The Natural Health Society is a healtheducation organisation explaining howbest to achieve genuine long-term healthand wellbeing for greater enjoyment oflife and enhanced peace of mind.

The Society is not-for-profit, non-sec-tarian and non-political, with no vestedinterests. It was established 40 years agoin 1960.

Its primary objective is to promotebetter health in the community on thebasis that prevention is better than cure.

The Natural Health approach is verydifferent in many ways from that of or-thodox medicine. Instead of attemptingto treat the symptoms in the belief thatsymptom-free equates to health, NaturalHealth focuses on removing the underly-ing cause and encouraging self-healing,that is, it treats the whole person. Andunlike drug therapy, the only side effectsof correctly applied self-healing are bet-ter health all round.

The Society produces the magazine,New Vegetarian and Natural Health,jointly with the Australian VegetarianSociety. Besides providing invaluableinformation, the magazine, which ismailed regularly to subscribers, is a mosteffective form of motivation to keep look-ing after ourselves sensibly, and withoutfanaticism.Other benefits include discounts at:• selected health food stores and res-

taurants;• the Society’s mail-order bookshop;• Natural Health Society seminars;

and with many natural therapists.

To subscribe to the Natural HealthSociety, simply write it to:

Natural Health Society of Australia28/541 High StreetPenrith NSW 2750

Phone 02 4721 5068Fax 02 4731 1174

Continued --->


ABOUT THE BOOK,THE MAN WHO LIVED IN THREE

CENTURIES- the secrets to his freedom from

illness and early ageingBy Roger French

After almost dying of a heart attack at 34,Australian broker Eric Storm mended his life-style ways to enjoy another 70 years free ofillness and full of accomplishment, with theyear 2000 being the final turning point of alegendary life across three centuries.

Like most Australians, you may believethat illness is a normal part of life, and thatafter 40 or 50 years of age, we are inevitablyover the hill.

Not so! Eric and thousands of other Aus-tralians, along with a number of primitivepopulations, have demonstrated beyond anydoubt that we can be well for life if we choose.

A vast amount of research over the lastcentury has explained why many earlierpopulations hardly knew illness ... until theyadopted the Western way of living. The com-parison is graphically illustrated with photo-graphs in this book.

Illness and premature ageing are ‘diseasesof civilisation’, that is, diseases of lifestyle.This means that we have virtually full controlover whether our quality of life is woeful orwonderful.

Author Roger French, when in his twen-ties, was sick and tired of being sick and tired.

This led him to abandon civil engineering fora career in Natural Health, which has includedseven years as manager of the HopewoodHealth Centre at Wallacia, NSW, and the past17 years as Executive Director and HealthDirector of the Natural Health Society of Aus-tralia.

Based on Roger and Eric’s experiences,this book spells out a prescription for enjoyinglife free of pain and crippling, with tons ofvitality and extended youthfulness - alongwith relative freedom from the fear of cancer,heart disease, stroke and other life-threateningconditions

By applying the guidelines presented, it ispossible for most of us to revel in a quality ofhealth that far exceeds our normal expecta-tions.

Most people may experience feelings of sadness and despondency, but when these feelings

become intense and protracted we may wellbe considering pathological depression. Thisis especially so when no discernible externalcause, such as bereavement or disappoint-ment, can be related to the depression. Thiskind of depression is often called endogenousdepression (“grown from within”), character-ized by persistent anguished (dysphoric) mood,anxiety, irritability, fear, worry, brooding,appetite and sleep disturbances, weight loss,lethargy, difficulty in concentrating and feel-ings of utter worthlessness. The causes of thedisorder are multiple and complex and mayinvolve biologic, psychologic, interpersonaland sociocultural factors. Traditional treat-ment includes the use of antidepressant drugs,rarely now-a-days electroconvulsive therapy(ECT), then followed by long-term psycho-therapy. Major depression affects up to onesixth of the population. Over the course of alifetime, depression occurs in approximately20 percent of women compared with 10 per-cent of men (Doris). Here we will mainlyconcentrate on the possible connection be-tween depression and nutrition.

Depression is often a symptom of otherdisorders, as in schizophrenia or manic-de-pressive reactions. The brain being extremelysensitive is usually the target organ of thebody to suffer first in nutritional disorders.Depression may also be accompanied by otherproblems, such as phobias. Psychotic depres-sion is characterized by more severe symp-toms. Typically, sleep is disturbed, with prob-lems of waking up early in the morning. It mayaffect appetite and lead to anorexia (patho-logical loss of appetite) and decreased sexdrive. Thus the causes are legion. IF DE-PRESSION IS SEVERE SEEK IMMEDI-

ATE MEDICAL HELP!

Psychological aspects of depressionIf a person is always frustrated in achiev-

ing his objectives and continually thwarted inhis ambitions, it goes without saying that hemay become depressed through sheer exhaus-tion. Although exhaustion is the physical as-pect, failure to reach one’s goals may berelated to personality problems. Some authorsargue that the greater prevalence of women’sdepression is due to the cultural limitationsplaced on women in society, and that this ismore pronounced among those women whohave experienced gender discrimination withintheir family. (Bhatia). Constant failure toachieve one’s goal will lead to frustration andphysical exhaustion. A person may not relatewell with other people and find it difficult toget co-operation. He may have a perfectioniststreak in him - never happy with the results ofhis own efforts, even less with those of others.

He may have communication problemseither in sending messages to or receivingthem from others. He or she may fail to beassertive in a way without upsetting otherpeople or getting angry. Some unhealthy workenvironments contribute to depression.

All these can be related to a low self-esteem, which unwittingly puts a person onhis defensive, provoking negative feedbackfrom others.

If the depression is seen as being caused bypsychological aspects or personality problem,a course in psychotherapy would be the mostappropriate step. However, depression is of-ten caused by ill-health or some metabolicdisorder. Any conventional illness can con-tribute to depression and these should be elimi-nated in the first place.

Hypothyroidism as a factor in depressionThe thyroid glands located at the base of

the neck control the rate of metabolism and allchemical processes of the body slow down inhypothyroidism. Hence, it is often associatedwith overweight and obesity. Low thyroidfunction may also be an important factor inchronic fatigue and depression. The incidenceof this disorder increases after the age of thirtyand is 5 to 10 times more frequent in females(Bhatia).

One way of testing hypothyroidism is totake your temperature in the morning beforecoming out of bed. If your temperature isconsistently below 36.5C or 97.8F over anumber of days, you could be suffering fromhypothyroidism. Besides causing obesity othersymptoms are; feeling cold when others feelwarm, constipation, hoarseness, lethargy inthe morning, depression, loss of hair, brittlenails, dry skin, sweaty palms and puffy eye-lids. Incidentally, it is claimed that hypothy-roidism may also be the cause of high choles-terol, blood circulation problems and heartdisease (Barnes et al., 1976). It has also beenassociated with such disorders as diabetes,hypoparathyroidism (underactivity of the par-athyroid glands with decrease in serum cal-cium levels, producing tetany), perniciousanemia (results from the inability of the bonemarrow to produce normal red blood cells).This may also be due to a deficiency of B12(‘cyanocobalamin’), vitiligo (defective skinpigmentation), rheumatoid arthritis, myasthe-nia gravis (fatigue of voluntary muscles, espe-cially those of the eye) and chronic hepatitis.Hypoglycemia - or low blood sugar levels -may also result from hypothyroidism. We willreturn to this later.

Treatment of hypothyroidismThe doctor usually confirms the condition

by a blood test, but most nutritional doctorsbelieve that the laboratory tests are not accu-

Nutritional Aspects of DEPRESSION:An Update

ByJurriaan Plesman, BA (Psych),

Post Grad Dip Clin Nutr


Protein

Tryptophan

Xanthurenic Acid

Diabetes

CANCERCANCERCANCER

Serotonin Melatonin

B3 Niacin

B6 Pyridoxine

Picolinic Acid

ZINC Absorption

B1, B2, B6

Rich Sources of TRYPTOPHAN (Mg/100g): Mungo beans, Black 1340, Turkey, young with skin 790, Brewer's Yeast (GTF) 740, Pork, fried liver, 613.043, Soya flour, 550, pumpkin seeds, 522.17, Parmesan cheese, 500, Parmesan Cheese 490, Milk, dried skimmed 490, Soya flour, full fat 480, Soya beans, 450, Cashews 450, Cashews, 430, Edam Cheese 30% fat 400, Edam cheese, 385.71, Camembert cheese 370, Peas, seed, dry 350, Brie Cheese 340, peanuts (roasted), 333.330, Wheat Germ 330, wheat germ, 330, Cowpeas, dry 330, peanut butter, 330, Mullet 320,

Figure 2

Figure 1

Dopamine CellGABA Cell Target Cells

1)GABA cells release the neurotransmitter GABA, which inhibits release of dopamine from the Dopamine Cells. This sends a message to Target Cells that it has had enough. 2) COCAINE blocks the re-absorption of dopamine by the Dopamine Cells, thereby increasing availability of dopamine, causing an intense feeling of pleasure and a craving to repeat that pleasure. 3) This causes addiction to COCAINE. Source: www.pet.bnl.gov/neuron.html

GABA Dopamine


rate enough to detect sub-clinical hypothy-roidism and that low body temperature is amore reliable indicator, other causes of ab-normal temperature being excluded. Hypothy-roidism also occurs in Hashimoto’s disease,a rare disorder that is caused by an auto-immune destruction of the body’s thyroid byantibodies circulating in the blood. If there isa marked thyroid deficiency the doctor mayprescribe thyroxine tablets. The dose needsto be carefully calibrated and here you canhelp the doctor by taking your temperaturesin the morning. Thyroxine is only one of thehormones secreted by the thyroid gland. Thisdrug may be considered a replacement forthe natural compound produced in the bodyand should not give any side effects. Yetsome people with angina problems should becautioned when taking thyroid medicationand should be carefully monitored.

Sometimes hypothyroidism is caused by adeficiency of the thyroid stimulating hor-mone (TSH) produced by the pituitary gland.Thus an accurate diagnosis by a qualifieddoctor is needed when dealing with hypothy-roidism. Iodide in food is transported to,trapped in and concentrated by the thyroidcells. It combines with tyrosine (an aminoacid - protein source) to form thyroxine (T4)and triiodothyronine (T3) which is stored bythe gland. High levels of T3 and T4 willsuppress the secretion of thyroid stimulatinghormone (TSH) from the pituitary gland.Thus a balance is maintained (Bayliss, 1982).

Nutritional aids in thyroid therapyThere is some doubt whether nutrition

alone will help to overcome the problem ofhypothyroidism. Nutritionally, thyroxine pro-duction depends on a complex range of nutri-ents. Iodine is one of the precursors of thyrox-ine. This is contained in kelp and iodized salt.It is said that vitamin A - retinol - and not inthe carotene form is essential in convertingiodine into thyroxine. The liver can’t convertcarotene to vitamin A in the absence of thy-roxine or in hypothyroidism. Vitamins B2, 3& 6 and C are required for absorption ofiodine. A B1 (thiamine) deficiency alone cancause hypothyroidism. Vitamin B12 can’t beabsorbed with a deficient thyroid gland. Cop-per is required for the production of TSHfrom the pituitary. Foods that interfere withthe uptake of iodine are: cabbage, kale, Brus-sels sprout, cauliflower, broccoli, Kohlrabi,turnips, rutabaga, rapeseed, brown (Indian),black, or white mustard, garden cress andradish, soybeans, skins of peanuts, almonds,and cashews. Thus when eating these foodfrequently one should take extra iodine sup-plementation. The first choice should be kelpif it is tolerated. The following chemicalsubstances inhibit iodine uptake; sulfa, antidiabetic drugs, prednisone, estrogen, smok-ing (thyocyanide inhibitor) and fluoride (thyrosuppression).

Hypothyroidism and tyrosine deficiencyIt is interesting that tyrosine - a non-

essential amino acid - is a precursor to thy-roid, adrenocortical hormones and todopamine. It is also a precursor of melanin -

pigment found in hair, skin and the choroid ofthe eye (Wintrobe,615). Vitiligo is the disor-der of melanin distribution on the skin andcould therefore be related to hypothyroidism.Deficiency of tyrosine may show up as havinglow body temperature, low blood pressure and‘restless legs’. The body can produce tyrosinefrom an essential amino acid called phenyla-lanine; that is, humans derive the latter fromthe diet - mainly a high protein diet. Defi-ciency of the latter lead to a variety of symp-toms including bloodshot eyes, cataracts andbehavioural changes. Phenylalanine is alsothe precursor (via tyrosine) of dopamine, thenon to norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrena-line) - a deficiency of these may lead to de-pression - indicating that it affects behaviourin a fundamental way. Low levels of hydro-chloric acid in the stomach (hypochlorhydria)may block the digestive process of aminoacids including phenylalanine.

Thyroid deficiency may be treated natu-rally with supplementation of phenylalanineor tyrosine. As this could also be the treatmentfor depression, we are killing two birds withone stone. However, supplementation shouldbe under the supervision of a doctor as exces-sive dosage may produce toxic effects. Ani-mal studies have shown that when phenyla-lanine is taken in large doses - in excess of 3percent of diet - an amino acid imbalance maycause tyrosine toxicity (Agric. Biology etc.1982), however this is most unlikely in thehuman diet. Phenylalanine can aggravate apreexisting pigmented melanoma (a type ofskin cancer) (Pearson et al.1982,136). Somestudies have suggested that schizophrenia maybe due to an error in dopamine metabolism. Asphenylalanine is a forerunner of tyrosine andthen of dopamine, administration of L-Dopa(which passes the brain barrier, not dopamine)together with antioxidants may help someschizophrenics according to Pearson. (Pearsonet al.1982, 135 for more details)

Neither phenylalanine nor tyrosine shouldbe supplemented in individuals takingmonoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibi-tors), Chaitow, 1985, 58).

Dosage: For depressive states 100mg to500mg of L-phenylalanine per day. Resultsshould show in a few days. Caution: hyperten-sive individuals should start from around100mg daily and blood pressure should bechecked. People suffering from phenylketonu-ria - a disease caused by a defective enzyme -phenylalanine hydroxylase - converting phe-nylalanine to tyrosine are accumulating phe-nylalanine at toxic levels and should avoid itat all cost. It is best to consult a doctor whenconsidering taking phenylalanine.

MAO inhibitorsMonoamine oxidase (MAO) is an enzyme

in the brain which degrades the monoamineneurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine(NE) and serotonin. This enzyme functions tomaintain proper levels of these beneficial neu-rotransmitters contributing to our mentalhealth. This enzyme increases in activity withage, lowering the levels of the neurotransmit-ters available to the brain. Hence older peopleare inclined to be more depressed. When doc-

tors prescribe MAO inhibitors - e.g., iproni-azid, isocarboxazid, phenelzine and tranylcy-promine - they attempt to inhibit this enzymethereby increasing the concentration of theneurotransmitters. However, these drugs needto be administered with caution. They cancause hypertensive crises (high blood pres-sure), interact with other depressant, or hypo-tensive drugs and they react with many foodsand beverages such as cheese, protein ex-tracts, soy sauce, pickled herrings, and redwine. People with epilepsy, cardiovasculardisease and those with hepatic (liver) andrenal (kidney) insufficiency are especially atrisk with MAO inhibitors. Some side effectsare insomnia, agitation, dizziness, low bloodpressure when in a lying position (sleep),constipation, dry mouth, blurred vision, diffi-culty in urination to mention a few.

Pearson and Shaw (1982, 184) reportedthat procaine - or the procaine compoundGerovital (GH3) developed by Dr Anna Aslanof Romania - is a mild reversible MAO inhibi-tor. Procaine - GH3 or KH3 (Shering P/L) inAustralia - does not seem to require the pre-cautions of synthetic MAO inhibitors. Thusphenylalanine and KH3 may be a very effec-tive natural anti-depressant. They reportedthat; “Phenylalanine was twice as effective asthe current prescription ‘drug of choice’ fordepression, imipramine, in clinical tests”(MacFarlane, 1975).

Natural sources of phenylalanine:soybeans, cottage cheese, fish (especiallytrout), meat, liver, lamb poultry, almonds,Brazil nuts, pecans, pumpkins, sesame seeds,lima beans, chickpeas and lentils. (Chaitow,1985, 61). Note: soybeans and almonds aresaid to interfere with iodine uptake above.

HypoglycemiaMuch has been written and spoken of the

much maligned hypoglycemic condition. Over62% of people diagnosed as beinghypoglycemic have been reported to sufferfrom depression and insomnia. Thus hypogly-cemia must be regarded as an important cause.The explanation is simple. When the bloodsugar level drops below a certain level, thebrain is starved of its source of energy -namely glucose - and we get depressed. Whenthe brain is suddenly starved of glucose, thepituitary gland sends an urgent message to theadrenal glands to pour adrenaline into theblood stream. Adrenaline is a hormone thatrapidly converts glycogen - or stored liversugar - into glucose, thus raising the bloodsugar level. However, adrenaline is also thefight/flight hormone, readying the body forquick action in case of danger. Thus the sud-den presence of adrenaline in the blood streamwakes up the poor sleeper - usually in the earlymorning. Psychiatrists and other orthodoxpsycho-oriented practitioner often interpretthis by claiming that ‘the patient is the worry-ing type’. Thus depression and insomnia areoften found together. Medical practitionerscan confirm the diagnosis of hypoglycemia bytaking a four to six hour Glucose ToleranceTest. The nutritional doctor is not so muchinterested in the low level of blood glucose,


but rather in the rate of descent of blood sugarin response to insulin production by the pan-creas. If the fall in blood glucose is over 2.8mm/l in any one hour or 1.9 mm/l in any halfhour, the brain is starved of glucose with allthe pseudo-psychological consequences, in-cluding depression (Samra, 1984, 41).

Depression, if seen as a symptom of hy-poglycemia, naturally suggests that a stricthypoglycemic diet is the main remedy againstdepression. Indeed this is the first step in thetreatment of depression. The hypoglycemicdiet consists of three hourly, high proteinsnacks, the avoidance of sugar, coffee, sugarydrinks, white rice, white bread and cakes, plushigh potency B-complex vitamins and Vita-min C. The vitamins should also contain chro-mium and zinc. Sometimes some of the symp-toms of hypoglycemia can be overcome by thetaking of one table spoon of glycerine mixedin milk, fruit juice or even water with a dash oflemon juice. Glycerine is not recognized bythe pancreas as a sugar, so does not stimulatethe over-production of insulin. Fructose has asimilar biochemical pathway as glycerine, butexcess fructose may result in high triglyceridelevels. However, it is of little use to peoplewho are allergic to either glycerine or fruc-tose. Many people can obtain a peaceful nightwith glycerine. Others find that simply takingvitamin B1 (thiamine) involved in glucosemetabolism gives them a peaceful night’ssleep. Some find help in vitamin B-5 (pan-tothenic acid).

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol cause theliver to produce drug antagonists - ie.,stimulants- usually in the form of adrenaline. Thisdestabilizes the blood glucose levels and con-sequently affects the energy supplies to thebrain. Hence people suffering from depres-sion are discouraged from taking these drugs,quite apart from a host of other ill effects.

Tryptophan and vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)Depression can also be caused by the body’s

inability to produce a neurotransmitter calledserotonin, which is normally synthesized inthe body from other substances. Serotonin is anatural tranquilizer produced within the bodyfrom food. Tryptophan - an amino acid andbuilding block of protein - is the forerunner ofserotonin. See Figure 1. Thus a low proteindiet, typical of hypoglycemics, causes a tryp-tophan deficiency. Studies have shown ben-eficial effects in the treatment of depressionby administering L-tryptophan, 4-6 gms daily.Protein should be avoided for 90 minutesbefore and after administration and the uptakecan be improved with - of all things - sugar.Insulin improves absorption by lowering lev-els of competing amino-acids.

Without sufficient tryptophan we cannotproduce serotonin. Tryptophan is convertedto serotonin - our natural calming agent - in thepresence of vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Whenthere is a deficiency of vitamin B6, tryptophanmay be transformed into excessive xanthurenicacid which may cause cancer (bladder), attackthe pancreas and cause diabetes. A B6 defi-ciency can cause sleepless nights. Now ithappens to be the case that B6 (pyridoxine) isalso involved in ridding the body of toxins.

There is speculation that people with a vita-min B6 deficiency - as among drug addicts -cannot remember their dreams. Hence anydrug taking, or the presence of toxins will useup all our vitamin B6, so that we have none leftto convert tryptophan into serotonin. Peopleon anti-psychotic drugs also need higher dosesof vitamin B6. Detoxification is also aided byvitamin C. To complicate matters a little fur-ther, tryptophan is also the forerunner of vita-min B3 (niacin), which is so important that thebody considers its production to be more im-portant than that of serotonin. It requires 60mg of tryptophan to produce 1 mg of niacin incase of dietary niacin deficiency. (Kirschmann,JD,1979, 36). This could explain why niacina-mide supplementation (another form of ni-acin) to schizophrenics may sometime be help-ful to liberate the production of serotonin fromtryptophan. Vitamin B3 deficiency can causeinsomnia, mood swings, bedwetting in chil-dren, crying spells, anxiety, depression andaffect the eye-sight. Although this informa-tion is somewhat complex, the practical as-pects are that we can help ourselves to have amore restful sleep by 1) having three hourlysnacks during the day, 2) have a snack beforebedtime, 3) making sure that the body hassufficient vitamin C and B-complex vitamins,especially vitamin B1 and B6, 4) taking atable-spoon of glycerine before bedtime ifinsomnia persists, 5) taking commerciallyavailable tryptophan tablets and 6) taking vi-tamin B3 (Niacinamide) which may liberatethe available tryptophan in the body for theproduction of serotonin.

However, tryptophan supplementation mayhave adverse reactions and should be admin-istered under the supervision of a doctor. In1990 it was reported that the pill L-tryptophanwas associated with a rare blood disease,eosinophilia myalgia syndrome (EMS). How-ever, in the New England Journal of Medicine323 (6), 357-365 (1990) it was found that themanufacturing process of one manufacturerresulted in the ingestion of an unidentifiedchemical substance that was associated withthe EMS. It is a pity that authorities have keptthis supplement away from the market.

Natural sources of tryptophan: Soya pro-tein, brown rice (uncooked), cottage cheese,fish, beef, liver, lamb, peanuts, pumpkin,sesame seeds and lentils.

Milk and cheese contain tryptophan andthis is why a glass of warm milk before bed-time sends many people to sleep. That is, ifyou are not allergic to milk products! Warmmilk combined with a tablespoon of glycerineis an ideal sleeping agent.Bananas and datesare also provide tryptophan. Other goodsources of tryptophan are chlorella or othergreen or blue algae tablets taken at bedtime toinduce sleep (via serotonin production).Somepeople respond positively when they take vi-tamin B1 (thiamine) before bedtime. How-ever, if you take vitamins you should be warnedthat the taking of vitamins after six o’clock -especially vitamin C - may keep you awake.These vitamins are involved in the productionof many body metabolites, of which adrena-line is one. A good indication of vitamin B6deficiency is the inability to recall dreams

upon waking in the morning. By taking vita-min B6 you should recall your dreams. If youtake too much, you may suffer nightmares.

The Melatonin connectionLooking at figure 1 it is shown that serot-

onin is also the precursor of melatonin, ahormone produced by the pineal gland.(Wintrobe, 574). When the eyes perceive dusk- or darkness - it signals the pineal gland toproduce this hormone which is closely relatedto our diurnal cycles of sleep and wakefulness.It has sedative qualities and help reduce anxi-ety, panic disorders and migraines as well asinduce sleep. Melatonin is a powerful antioxi-dant and is known to eliminate free radicalstoxic to DNA. Thus sleeping restores ourimmune system. Melatonin inhibits release ofoestrogen thereby reduces risk of breast can-cer. (JACNEM, Dec 1998, 31). It seems that adisturbance in the diurnal melatonin produc-tion causes depression, rather than amount ofmelatonin in the body at a certain time. Stud-ies have shown that exposure to bright, earlymorning sunlight (between 7.00AM and 9.00AM) for at least fifteen minutes is perhaps themost powerful signal that “sets” the biologicalclock, thereby washing away depression. (TheBurton Group, 843) There is some evidencethat when people are exposed to artificial light- that is, light lacking the full spectrum sunlight - the body cannot absorb certain nutrientsand this contributes to fatigue, tooth decay,depression, hostility, suppressed immune func-tion, hair loss, alcoholism and drug addictionand even cancer. (Ott, Roos). Studies haveshown that students in classrooms with full-spectrum lights had less absenteeism, higheracademic achievements, diminished hyperac-tivity, compared with classes using ordinaryfluorescent lighting.(The Burton Group, 322).It is claimed that taurine levels rises in thepineal and pituitary gland through exposure tofull spectrum daylight. Lack of taurine maylead to mental impairment anddepression.(Chaitow, 38)

The GABA connectionMinor tranquilisers known as

benzodiazepines occupy special receptors inthe synapses (junction between brain cells)of nerve cells. This can affect the function ofa natural neurotransmitter called GABA orgamma-amino-buteric acid. This is essentiallya inhibiting neurotransmitter. Neurotransmit-ters are hormone-like chemicals controllingmessages between neurons in the brain. Thefunction of GABA is explained in Figure 2.GABA is produced by specialized cells. It fitsneatly into receptor molecules of other cellsand thereby can act to inhibit release ofdopamine from dopamine cells. Dopaminecauses intense feelings of pleasure. ThusGABA regulate the release of dopamine whichinfluences other cells to experience pleasure(or satiety). It is said that severely depressedpeople cannot experience pleasure and henceit is important to get some understanding ofthe relation between GABA and dopamine.Excess dopamine production - intense pleas-urable rewards - produces addiction to sub-stances that causes excess dopamine secre-


tion. In cocaine addiction, the reabsorption ofdopamine is blocked by dopamine cells, re-sulting in excess dopamine. This leads tointense pleasure and results in cravings for thesame substance. (http://www.pet.bnl.gov/neuron.html)

Nicotine, as an addictive substance, actsby occupying the GABA receptor sites ondopamine cells, drowning out GABA, thuscausing increased dopamine production andaddiction. (www.pet.bnl.gov/nicneuron.html)It is plausible that ongoing dopamine synthe-sis causes dopaminergic exhaustion.

Scientists from the Department of Chemis-try, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton,NY 11973, USA have carried out experimentswith gamma-vinyl GABA - an inhibitor ofGABA transaminase - to reduce the produc-tion of dopamine even after administration ofheroin or cocaine. (Gerasimov). A new drugCampral (acamprosate) appears to have asimilar action, that stops craving for alcohol inalcoholism. This would open a new way forthe treatment of drug addiction.

I am not aware of any studies that haveused tyrosine or phenylalanine supplementa-tion in drug withdrawal programmes. As wasshown before, the amino acids phenylalanineand/or tyrosine are precursors of dopamine,which has been used in the treatment depres-sion. (Werbach,160). The conversion fromdopa to dopamine is dependent on vitamin B6,again showing that a B6 deficiency can causedepression. Studies are needed to show whethersupplementation of phenylalanine, tyrosineand B6 will benefit people withdrawing fromaddictive drugs, including nicotine.

It is interesting that inositol and vitamin B3(niacinamide) are said to occupy the samereceptors and this may explain why somepeople feel relaxed and sleepy when takingthese nutrients (Pearson et al.1982, 282).

The body produces GABA from glutamicacid in the presence of vitamin B6 (pyridox-ine). Glutamic acid cannot pass the lipid layerof the brain cell unless in the form of glutamine.When glutamine enters the brain cell it isconverted to glutamic acid. In this form it caneither 1) combine with ammonia - a highlytoxic end-product of protein - to formglutamine, to be carried to the liver and thenexcreted as urea in the urine or, 2) combinewith vitamin B6 to form GABA. Glutamicacid itself is an excitatory substance. Thus ifthere is a deficiency of vitamin B6 there maybe an excess of glutamic acid causing anxietyand restlessness: if there is an excess of vita-min B6, too much GABA is produced causingone to feel tired and depressed (Vayda, 63).Glutamine supplementation has been knownto stop alcohol sugar craving (Rogers, 1957).It is important to realise that minor tranquilisersdispensed by doctors will ultimately aggra-vate the symptoms for which they were pre-scribed. Although drug therapy may haveshort term benefits in some instances, it isbetter to experiment with natural nutrients toachieve the same ends without the side effects.

Toxic MetalsRelated to hypoglycemia is heavy metal

intoxication. High levels of lead, mercury and

cadmium interfere with the enzymes breakingdown glucose into energy within the mito-chondrion of cells that carry out aerobic respi-ration and where the Krebs cycle is located.The result are symptoms that are practicallyindistinguishable from those of hypoglyce-mia - fatigue, insomnia and depression. Oftenthis can be prevented in our polluted environ-ment by increasing zinc intake to preventheavy metals from occupaying substrate mol-ecules in enzymes. Sunflower seeds, oystersand crustaceans are said to have a high zinccontent. Foodstuffs containing mercaptangroups or sulphur containing compounds - asin onions, garlic and eggs - have the ability toclaw out heavy metals from the body over aperiod of time. The name mercaptan comesfrom their ability to react with (‘seize’) mer-cury. The amino acid methionine plus vitaminB6 is perhaps the most effective and naturalway of detoxifying the body of heavy metals(Chaitow, 1985, 55). Anti-oxidant supple-mentation with vitamins A, E, C and seleniumis also helpful. Toxic metals in the body areknown to increase free radicals, which havebeen associated with cancer and against whichanti-oxidants provide protection.

AllergiesFoods may cause mental and behavioural

symptoms by a variety of mechanisms includ-ing cerebral allergies, food addiction,caffeinism, hypersensitivity to chemical foodadditives and reactions to amines in food. Yetthe subject of allergies remains controversialamong the medical profession. The body’sunique overreaction to a substance - foreign ornot, internal or environmental, organic orchemical - causes stress which over time willlead to exhaustion and overt illness, includingdepression. If allergy is a factor in the treat-ment of depression, then avoidance of thesource of allergy is the most important treat-ment technique. There are several treatmentapproaches: avoidance, reduction of totalload, rotary diet, desensitization, neutraliza-tion, nutritional supplements etc.

Prostaglandins in allergies and diseaseMuch has been written about the role of

prostaglandins in the mechanism of the im-mune system and thus allergies. Prostaglandins- very active organic compounds derived fromessential fatty acids - cause a range of physi-ological effects in animal tissues. They act atvery low concentrations to cause the contrac-tion of smooth muscles. Prostaglandins mayhave antagonistic effects on blood circulation:thromboxane A2 causes blood clotting whileprostacyclin causes blood vessels to dilate.Both thromboxane A2 and prostacyclin de-rive from series 2 prostaglandins (2PGE) fromarachidonic acid, usually rich in animal foodsources. The series 2 prostaglandins have beenassociated with many ‘degenerative’ diseasessuch as arthritis and allergies.

The more beneficial prostaglandins - theseries 1 prostaglandins or PGE1 - are knownto prevent platelet adhesiveness, inhibit in-flammatory reactions, dilate blood vesselsthereby improving blood circulation and con-trol blood pressure, help in weight reduction,

improve the effects of insulin, activate Tlymphocytes and inhibit abnormal cell prolif-eration (Davies & Stewart, 1987, 113). Aller-gic people have low PGE1 and the reason isthat they may be deficient in cis-linoleic acidin the diet from which it is manufactured.

Safflower oil contains 70 percent of lino-leic acid and is therefore a rich source alongwith poppy seed, sunflower, soybean corn etc.

An enzyme, delta-6-desaturase convertscis linoleic acid (cLA) to gamma linolenicacid (GLA) requiring the following vitaminsand minerals; pyridoxine (B6), zinc, magne-sium, B-complex vitamins and vitamin C andE (as an anti-oxidant). It is thought that somepeople have a deficient D6D enzyme and ifthis is so they are advised to take EveningPrimrose oil as this contain about 10 percentof GLA. Other plant sources of GLA areborage (Borago officinalis) and blackcurrant(Ribes nigra). These are all forerunners of theseries 1 prostaglandins. It is hoped that sup-plementation with the omega-6 essential fattyacids will bring some order into the erraticbehaviour of the immune system.

The Omega-3 PhenomenonHowever, other authors (Rudin & Felix,

1987), have warned against bringing about animbalance between omega 6 and omega 3essential fatty acids, all precursors ofprostaglandins, especially in relation to seri-ous ‘psychological and psychiatric disorders’.

They argue that because of the heart attackscare and the need to avoid fat, manufacturershave produced alternatives in the form ofvegetable oils as in margarine production. Ithas certainly made a dent in the rate of cardio-vascular diseases, but has shifted the balancetowards warm climate oils (omega-6) such assafflower, sunflower, corn, almond oils and soon, and away from the cold climate oils (omega-3) such as linseed, salmon, walnut, wheatgerm and soybean. The difference is that coldclimate oils are even more unsaturated andthat the body need these to produce beneficialprostaglandins. Fish oils contain two addi-tional types of omega-3 fatty acids, made fromlinolenic acid: DHA or docosahexaenoic acid,and EPA or eicosapentaenoic acid. They keepthe blood thin, prevent platelet stickiness andare especially recommended to prevent car-diovascular diseases. Fish produce these fromplankton in the sea.

Flaxseed (Linseed) oil contains 60 percentomega-3 and 20 percent omega-6 essentialfatty acid and Rudin recommends the use ofFlaxseed oil as the source of alpha linolenicacid, from which the body can produce itsvarious prostaglandins. Alternatives are fishoils and MaxEPA capsules.

Candidiasis and parasites as a source ofdepression

Internal parasites and fungi, especially forthose people with hypochlorhydria - produc-ing low levels of hydrochloric acid, a naturaldefence barrier to internal parasites - interferewith the absorption of food in the gut. Thismay produce irritable bowel symptoms,diarrhea, fatigue, depression, urticaria(rashes), arthralgia (pain in joints), uveitis(inflammation of the pigmented part of the


eye) and generally malabsorption of carbohy-drates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals.Most doctors are now aware of the pervasiveeffects on health of candidiasis or thrush - themould disease. This often follows a long pe-riod of medication with antibiotics, whichtend to kill off ‘friendly flora’ inside the intes-tines. Patients following a regiment of antibi-otics should consume generous amounts ofLactobacillus Acidophilus present in yogurtor buttermilk including perhaps tablets of L.acidophilus to reestablish the friendly intesti-nal flora. Friendly intestinal bacteria producemost of the required vitamins and will makeup for any deficiency in the diet. Also pectinin apples and bananas tend to absorbunfavorable bacteria while promoting thegrowth of beneficial organisms.

Individual nutrient deficiencies anddepression

The following individual nutrient deficien-cies have been reported to be associated withpatients suffering from depression.

Vitaminso biotino folic acido pyridoxineo riboflavino thiamineo vitamin B12o vitamin C

Mineralso calciumo irono magnesiumo potassium

Conversely, excesses of magnesium andvanadium have also been associated with de-pression. (Werbach, P155)

Herbal remediesMost people would be aware by now of the

antidepressant effects of St John’s Wort (Hy-pericum perforatum), which has similar ac-tion as the SSRI drugs. It inhibits the reuptakeof serotonin in the brain in the treatment ofmild to moderate depression. (Werbach, 1994,135) In Germany doctors prescribe herbalremedies routinely and St John’s Wort (stand-ardized to contain 0.3% hypericin, taken 3times a day) is much more popular than theconventional drugs such as Prozac and Zoloft.Hypericum has also been found to be useful inconditions associated with anxiety, stress, pre-menstrual syndrome, fibromyalgia or chronicpain. But they do interact with a number ofdrugs: it decreases bioavailability of digoxin,theophylline (asthma), cyclosporin (immuno-suppressant), and phenprocoumon (anticoagu-lant), potentiate with MAO Inhibitors andSSRI (Erocap, Luvox, Prozac, Cipramil,Erocap, Fluohexal, Lovan, Zactin, Zoloft).

Also fair-skinned people are advised toavoid prolonged exposure to sunlight, be-cause of heightened sensitivity to the sun. Ittakes some time - about four weeks - beforethe herb becomes effective.

Where cerebrovascular insufficiency is acontributing factor of depression, the use ofGinkgo biloba (Standardized to contain 24%gingkoflavoneglycosides) in animal studieshave been shown to be effective to reduceanxiety and depression. (Werbach, 1994,135).

If toxaemia (toxic overload) is seen ascontributing to depression, perhaps Milk This-tle (Sylibum marianum) will help the liver toaccelerate detoxification.

ConclusionIt is clear from the above that the treatment

for depression by clinical nutrition is veryunlike the practice whereby a doctor - usuallya psychiatrist - prescribes a drug for a ‘psychi-atric’ symptom. Tricyclic anti-depressants arepotent anti-histamines and this property mayhelp to explain their effectiveness against psy-chiatric symptoms associated with allergicreactions. But it is obvious that the patient isnot ‘cured’, in fact he may be made to feelworse through the actions of side-effects, forwhich other drugs are usually prescribed. Theeffects of side effects can often be overcomeby special nutritional supplements; 1) In thecase of Tardive Dyskinesia (the tremblingdisease of anti-psychotic drugs) Vitamin B3,B6, C, E and manganese, 2) Lithium medica-tion - for manic-depression - should be ac-companied with safflower oil, or GLA.Evening Primrose oil is an excellent source ofGLA.

A more patient-friendly group of new drugsare the SSRI (Specific Serotonin ReuptakeInhibitors) that aim to bring about a morenatural remedy. They block the re-uptake ofserotonin. However, a long-lasting increase inthe availability of serotonin neurotransmitterat a synaptic receptor site results in a decreasein the number of receptors on the cell surface(so-called downregulation). (Aust Prescr 1999;22; 106-8) Thus, better understanding of therelation between nutrition and depressionwould usher in a more natural treatment ofdepression.

Clinical nutrition can be effective once it isunderstood that each person is a biochemicalindividual. No two persons are the same!Similar disease syndromes may and usuallyderive from a set of divergent factors. Tounderstand the disease we need to study theindividual patient. Depression is not treated,but a depressed person is! We can’t treatalcoholism, but we can treat a person sufferingfrom alcoholism, including his or her psycho-logical make-up.

The treatment of depression by clinicalnutrition - as is the case with all medical/health problems - requires personal historytaking by the practitioner, a thorough bio-chemical investigation of the individual andtests leading to the diagnosis and treatmentprogram. Often if the program does not work,a further investigation needs to be carried outand a new diagnosis generated. This all de-pend on the scientific mind of the practitioner,his knowledge of medicine, biochemistry andnutrition and above all his creative ‘detective-like’ imagination leading to new hypothesesexplaining the symptoms. Often the moresuccessful practitioner is a member of a healthteam who pool their resources in this complexworld of ‘alternative medicine’.

In the end the individual patient and soci-ety - in particular the tax paying society - aregoing to benefit from this form of preventativemedicine.

REFERENCESAGRIC. BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY, Vol.

53, No.3, p169, March, 1983, from

Chaitow (1985), 59.Barnes,B.O. & Barnes C.W.(1976),

SOLVED: THE RIDDLE OF HEARTATTACK, Robinson Press Inc.Co.

Bayliss,K.I.S.(1982), THYROID DISEASE:THE FACTS, Oxford Uni. Press,NY

Bhatia, Subhash C. Depression in Women:Diagnostic and TreatmentConsiderations, American FamilyPhysician, July, 1999

Chalmers,R.J.,Bennie,E.H.,Johnson,R.H.,Kineel, H.G. (1977), “The growthhormone response to insulin inducedhypoglycaemia in alcoholics”,PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDICINE(LONDON), 7(4): 607-611.

Chaitow,L.(1985), AMINO ACIDS INTHERAPY, Thorsons pubs Inc.,NY,ISBN 0-7225-0998-7

Davies,S. & Stewart,A.(1987),NUTRITIONAL MEDICINE, PanBooks,London

Doris,Alan, Depressive Illness, Lancet, Oct16, 1999

Gerasimov MR, Dewey SL ,(1999), Gamma-vinyl gamma-aminobutyric acidattenuates the synergistic elevationsof nucleus accumbens dopamineproduced by a cocaine/heroin(speedball) challenge, Eur JPharmacol 1999 Sep 3;380(1):1-4

Kirshmann, JD(1979), NUTRITIONALMANAC, McGraw-Hill Book Co. N.Y.

MacFarlane,(1975) “Procaine HCl (GerovitalH3): A weak reversible fully competitiveinhibitor of monoamine oxidase,” FED.PROC. 34(1):108-110. from Pearsonet al. (1982),651.

Ott, J (1985-88), Color and light:Their effectson plantss, animals and people, TheInternational Jounal of biosocialResearch 7-10: 1-131 (From the BurtonGroup)

Pearson,D & Shaw,S.(1982), LIFEEXTENSION:A PRACTICALSCIENTIFIC APPROACH, WarnerBooks, NY ISBN 0446512729

Plesman,J.(1986), GETTING OFF THEHOOK, Second Back Row Press,Leura,NSW

Rogers L.L. et als. (1957), QUART. J. OFSTUDIES ON ALCOHOL, 18(4): 581-7

Roos PA (1991), Light and electromagneticwaves: The health implications,Journal of Bio-Electro-MagneticInstitute 3 no 2 (Summer 1991): 7-12,(From the Burton Group)

Rudin, D., Felix, C. & Schrader, C.(1988),THE OMEGA-3 PHENOMENON,Sidgewick & Jackson, London

Samra, George(1984), THEHYPOGLYCEMIC CONNECTION,MINT, Sydney

The Burton Goldberg Group, Strohecker, J(Ed) (1994), ALTERNATIVEMEDICINE: The definitive guide,Future Medicine Publishing, PuyallupWA

Vayda, W, (1992), PSYCHONUTRITION,Lothian Pub Co., Melbourne

Werbach,M.R.(1987), NUTRITIONALINFLUENCES ON ILLNESS: ASOURCEBOOK OF CLINICALRESEARCH, Third Line Press Inc,Tarzana Cal. ISBN 0-9618550-0-2

Werbach,M.R. & Murray, M.T (1994) ,BOTANICAL INFLUENCES ONILLNESS, Third LinePres,Inc.,Tarzana,Cal. diet/behaviour

Wintrobe MM, Thorn GW, Adams RD,Bennett IV, Et als.(1970),HARRISON’S PRINCIPLES OFINTERNAL MEDICINE, McGraw-HillBook Co. N.Y.


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Rice Water60 g Rice1 litre water4 cm cinnamon stick

Boil the lot together in a saucepan for 20mins. Strain through a fine sieve. Chill beforeserving

Spinach Pie3/4 cup long grain rice50 gr butter( is best but margarine of choice

will do.)1/2 cup sliced shallots

4 eggs1 cup cooked spinach1 1/2 cup grated cheese.Salt to tastePlenty of freshly ground pepper

Cook the rice as according to the methodrecommended on the packet.

Cool. Melt the butter in a frying pan andcook over a gentle heat till soft.

Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the riceshallots and butter mixture plus all the otheringredients

Pour into a greased 23 cm pie plateBake in a 190 C. for 35-40 mins or until the

pie is lightly set. Let stand for 10 minsServe either warm or cold with a salad.

Split Pea Fritters with Yoghurt Sauce1 cups green split peas2 zucchini grated1 small grated onion, grated2 cloves crushed garlic1 cup flour of choice2 teas ground coriander1 teas garum masala2 eggs lightly beatenvegetable oil for frying

Yoghurt sauce200 g sheeps or goats or yoghurt2 tabs chopped fresh coriander1 tab fresh chopped mint

SauceCombine all the ingredients in a small

bowl and set asideCan be made up to 5-6 hours ahead of time

Rinse and drain the split peas. Place in amedium sized saucepan and cover with plentyof cold water. Bring to the boil over a mediumheat . When boiling reduce the heat and allowto simmer for about 25 mins or until tender.Drain and allow to cool for 10 mins

Transfer the peas to a large bowl. Add thezucchini, onion, garlic ground coriander, garummasala and eggs. Season with salt and pepperif desired. Mix together with a wooden spoontill well combined

Using a large frying pan add enough oil toreach a depth of 1 cm. Heat over a mediumheat. Drop pea mixture (a tablespoon at a time)into the frying pan. Cook on each side forabout 2 mins or until golden brown. Keepwarm while cooking the rest of the mixture

Serve with the yoghurt sauceGreat for a light lunch served with salad

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