UltraMind Solution Quizzes

[Baz Tubit]

I have been on a detox diet for a while and lost about 60 pounds. I still get dizziness, however. What are good foods and/or supplements to improve or help this condition?

 

[Mrs. Peel]

I have been on a detox diet for a while and lost about 60 pounds. I still get dizziness, however. What are good foods and/or supplements to improve or help this condition?

I imagine you can do some research on the internet and find some information, or even in these archives here.

 

[Pierre]

I have been on a detox diet for a while and lost about 60 pounds. I still get dizziness, however. What are good foods and/or supplements to improve or help this condition?

Hello Baz Tubit,

And welcome to the SOTT forum.

No need to ask the same question in two different threads, numerous members read all the threads so posting your question once should be enough to get an answer.

 

[seek10]

I am reading this book which Laura recommended, "The UltraMind Solution: The Simple Way to Defeat Depression, Overcome Anxiety, and Sharpen Your Mind" by Mark Hyman, M.D. He talks about the role of the body health in mental health and it seems to be a good synthesis of all we've been discussing here in the forum for the last months. Furthermore it has other important info about the so called brain dis-eases and more. Here is a quote of the intro:

What I liked most of this book is the the detailed explanation of fundamentals of functions of brain cells, the entire endocrine systems etc and how these Matrix foods screw it in one place and systematically in sequence. It makes more sense now to use all the plate full of vitamins laura suggested in her detox/sauna thread. Though I read these topics previously in random articles over the years , having all of them in one book is really a good way of connecting. surely I can feel the difference when I take all these vitamins.

 

[Kesdjan]

Gaba:
Take GABA, 500 mg once mid-afternoon and once before bed.

Current medical opinion says that GABA taken as a supplement does not reach the brain and has no effect or benefit aside from being a benign placebo.
[...]
CAN IT WORK?

GABA supplements are promoted as an alternative to these tranquilizing drugs. There's a problem. There is scant evidence that it does anything. Current medical belief is that GABA will not pass the blood brain barrier.

The blood brain barrier is a biologic firewall between the body's general blood circulation and the blood circulation that supplies the brain. It prevents many of the chemicals and drugs which circulate in the blood from reaching the brain. GABA can not cross from the body into the brain. If GABA doesn't reach the brain, can it work? Common medical wisdom says it can't.
[...]
Other ways to skin the cat: other ways to increase GABA effect

Another approach is to look at substances which change GABA action in the brain. There seems to be more and better clinical research on the use of many of these substances in humans than there is on GABA. There are numerous natural substances which affect GABA. In fact understanding GABA helps explain the action of many commonly used herbs, vitamins and minerals.

Valerian root has a long history of use as a tranquilizer and works by increasing the effect of GABA on its receptors [30] American Ginseng also acts on the GABA receptors. [31] So does Kava Kava. [32]

All sorts of other unexpected things change GABA activity; the chemicals formed by aging whiskey in oak barrels increase GABA effect. Aging really does make whiskey mellower literally based on what it does to brain neurotransmitters. [33] These chemicals are released from the alcohol as a fragrance and appear to reach the brain by inhalation. [34] The fragrance of Oolong tea has a similar effect, increasing GABA action. [35] Extracts of green tea, black tea and oolong tea elicit a GABA response in test models. [36] Epigallocatechin gallate extracts from tea had the opposite effect, inhibiting the GABA response. Coffee extracts also inhibit GABA response. [37] Magnesium binds to GABA sites and increases effect. [38] Taurine protects against glutamate overstimulation. [39] [40] Its inhibitory effect may act as anxiolytic. [41]

Serotonin is another neurotransmitter and it enhances GABA. Therefore, as precursors to serotonin, Tryptophan and 5-HTP increase GABA action.

Theanine is an amino acid found in large amounts in tea. It is why a cup of tea can be calming despite the fact it contains caffeine. Theanine may increase glutamate transport [42] and increase GABA levels.

The vitamin B6 derivative pyridoxal phosphate is a cofactor in the synthesis of GABA. Some people have trouble converting Vitamin B-6 to pyridoxal phosphate and for those people taking this active B-6 may increase GABA levels.

Increasing the effectiveness of GABA via these supplements seems more reasonable (and cheaper in some cases) than GABA supplementation. But there is some evidence that the actual amount of GABA can also be increased:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare changes in brain γ-aminobutyric (GABA) levels associated with an acute yoga session versus a reading session. It was hypothesized that an individual yoga session would be associated with an increase in brain GABA levels.

Design: This is a parallel-groups design.

Settings/location: Screenings, scan acquisitions, and interventions took place at medical school–affiliated centers.

Subjects: The sample comprised 8 yoga practitioners and 11 comparison subjects.

Interventions: Yoga practitioners completed a 60-minute yoga session and comparison subjects completed a 60-minute reading session.

Outcome measures: GABA-to-creatine ratios were measured in a 2-cm axial slab using magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging immediately prior to and immediately after interventions.

Results: There was a 27% increase in GABA levels in the yoga practitioner group after the yoga session (0.20 mmol/kg) but no change in the comparison subject group after the reading session ( −0.001 mmol/kg) (t = −2.99, df = 7.87, p = 0.018).

Conclusions:These findings demonstrate that in experienced yoga practitioners, brain GABA levels increase after a session of yoga. This suggests that the practice of yoga should be explored as a treatment for disorders with low GABA levels such as depression and anxiety disorders. Future studies should compare yoga to other forms of exercise to help determine whether yoga or exercise alone can alter GABA levels.

So why pay for GABA when you can get it for free?

References
_http://www.denvernaturopathic.com/news/GABA.html
_http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2007.6338

 

[Gaby]

Current medical opinion says that GABA taken as a supplement does not reach the brain and has no effect or benefit aside from being a benign placebo.
[...]
CAN IT WORK?

GABA supplements are promoted as an alternative to these tranquilizing drugs. There's a problem. There is scant evidence that it does anything. Current medical belief is that GABA will not pass the blood brain barrier.

The blood brain barrier is a biologic firewall between the body's general blood circulation and the blood circulation that supplies the brain. It prevents many of the chemicals and drugs which circulate in the blood from reaching the brain. GABA can not cross from the body into the brain. If GABA doesn't reach the brain, can it work? Common medical wisdom says it can't.

Hyman also talks about this, he refers to the "Brain-Body Separation Myth: Your Brain is Protected from your Body". The blood barrier is more like a partial barrier. Many people that I know of, had started sleeping better with GABA and had clear changes when they started GABA and/or stopped it. I've also observed this in myself, I actually had to take less than the recommended dose. Same thing with the 5HTP

Here is a quote from the UltraMindSolution:

We know that the brain can become leaky and the barrier permeable under many conditions-poor nutrition, stress, infection, digestive imbalances, toxic injury, and allergy. The brain, in fact, reads what is happening in the rest of the body even under normal conditions of life. What you do to your body you do to your brain.

Often in diseases there is something happening somewhere else, but it gives symptoms in the brain. For example, some people with liver failure may be psychotic because of too much ammonia in the gut, and when they are given antibiotics which kill the ammonia-producing bacteria in the gut, their symptoms go away. People with autism have an inflamed brain because they have an inflamed gut and they get better and even cured when their guts heal. So its not that our brains are walled off from our bodies at is commonly thought in medical science.

 

[Laura]

I have to agree that GABA makes a HUGE difference in the way I feel, sometimes within 20 minutes or so. We also need to keep in mind that there are a LOT of neurotransmitter binding sites in other parts of the body, including the gut. You have what could almost be called a second brain in your gut. So, don't buy into the pooh-pooh tactics.

 

[Scottie]

I am still doing the Ultra Mind thingie, and I'm specifically taking GABA and 5-HTP.

At first, it seemed that my poor brain (and body?) desperately needed the two. I started sleeping like a rock, dreams came back, I'd wake up feeling more rested, and I felt a lot more calm throughout the day. After about a month or so, I noticed that I was getting pretty drowsy during the day, so I scaled back the GABA doses and I no longer take 5-HTP when I go to bed - just the GABA at the much lower dose.

So, it seemed to really do me some good, and at least in my case, my body told me when to start reducing my dose. I figure in another month or so, I probably won't need to take it regularly any more.

As for yoga: I did yoga for about a year and for me, it didn't have the same effect as GABA. For what it's worth...

 

[Steve M.]

I had my son go over this test last night with my wife. I think I need to go over it with him, just to be sure that everything got covered, or that he understood everything. I'm sharing this in the hopes that someone more knowledgeable will be able to help me get him on a better nutrition, diet, health routine.

Currently, but only over the last week to 10 days, I've started giving him a daily Garlic, B-complex, Fish Oil and a Multi-Vitamin. I rotate the multi between a childrens and an adult every other day. He's 13 years old and about as tall and heavy as I myself am (around 5' 8", 175 LBS.)

Under fatty acids he scored a 4
Under Dopamine 1
Under Serotonin 3
Under Methylation 4
Under Magnesium 2 (this is a confusing area currently. what I have as a suppliment is Magnesium Citrate, is that ok 1 time daily?)
Under Magnesium and the Brain 1
Under loss of Energy 2
And that is about it. My wife has taken it as well and we have most of the suppliments in her case. The case with my son is a little more complex, IMO, since he isn't physically an adult. Some of my sons concerns that he marked in the quiz were sleep related but I'm not sure about Melatonin in a 13 YO. The bottles I have say not to be given to children below 18 years of age. I do have the 1 and 3 MG bottles though. The rest of his answers were generally emotion based, outside of constipation - though that could also have something to do with emotion.

Any thoughts?

 

[Gaby]

Any thoughts?

The healthiest results of the UltraMind quizzes so far. They're all within normal ranges. Diet alone plus some basic supplementation you are already giving might do. For the diet, check also the Ultra Simple diet: http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=13241.msg96968#msg96968

He can receive adult doses if he is that size. The magnesium will help with the constipation, but it has to be like 700mg of mg citrate.

With sleeping problems in general, people can take 700mg of magnesium citrate (1 pill usually is 200mg) plus 50mg of 5HTP before going to bed. If its laxative, then remove one magnesium pill. B complex (B1,B3; B6, etc) must be taken during the day. If there is no restful sleep, increase the 5HTP to 100mg. And so on, to a maximum of 300mg of 5HTP. For more info on this sleeping protocol check, http://www.treatingandbeating.com/ . The book in the site is fascinating, I'm almost done reading it and it is in the lines of what he had researched so far, plus lots more of interesting information. Highly recommended! I thought I could add this info since sleeping problems are so common among lots of us.

 

[Gaby]

Vitamin C, on top of the multivitamin will help too. Children's dose could be 1gram, but he can take more. :)

 

[Steve M.]

Currently, but only over the last week to 10 days, I've started giving him a daily Garlic, B-complex, Fish Oil and a Multi-Vitamin. I rotate the multi between a childrens and an adult every other day. He's 13 years old and about as tall and heavy as I myself am (around 5' 8", 175 LBS.)

I messed that up some. I always confuse Vitamin E and fish oil. I'm so visual oriented and the pills look so similar. I'll add the E though. Vitamin C (Check, got that) and I'll have to go and purchase the 5HTP today. I added a magnesium citrate today (400 mg) and ask him about it later. Will 800mg make a difference, since I can't come up with a proper 700mg? On the 5HTP I'll try and get at/around 50mg.

Some questions:

What are good sources of fatty acids?
What is a good source of Serotonin?

Apologies if there is an answer in the link(s) you provided. I'll go check them out.

Edit: Is it ok for him to do the FIR blanket? At what point would a young person 'not be allowed,' excuse me, "shouldn't" use the blanket? I ask cause I have a 10 YO daughter as well, whom I'd also like to get going on diet and nutrition. With a new school year coming it would be nice if she was on her toes, especially during homework. Can I offer her the quiz and ask for feedback as well? Would it be ok to have my wife get on the forum (through this account or another) and ask some questions about her own results?

1,000 thanks Psyche for the help you've provided. It's very much appreciated.

 

[Gaby]

I always confuse Vitamin E and fish oil. I'm so visual oriented and the pills look so similar. I'll add the E though.

Vitamin E is usually on the multivitamin, just make sure he doesn't get too much, staying around 400IU will be alright.

I'll have to go and purchase the 5HTP today.

I added the 5 HTP for members in general because I just read that protocol of 5 HTP and we tried it with exc results. So I wanted to share the experience because lots of people don't have a restful sleep :) His serotonin quiz result was 3, good enough, but he may improve his mood with 5 HTP, so you can try with 50mg and see how it goes. If he doesn't crave sweets, or if he has already a restful sleep, he might not need it.

People also crave sugars because they're low in serotonin, so they get their serotonin high with sugars, but then the levels drop quickly, creating an imbalance and symptoms like the ones described in the serotonin quiz. And then a yeast overgrowth from eating too much carbs/sugars!

I added a magnesium citrate today (400 mg) and ask him about it later. Will 800mg make a difference, since I can't come up with a proper 700mg?

See how it goes. It depends a lot on each individual. If he has a tendency to be constipated, the 800mg might be his dose. If I take 400mg on my non PMS days, it is laxative.

I prefer magnesium malate. It gets absorbed very well and it provides malic acid. From "Treating and Beating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome" by Roger Murphree:

Malic Acid is found in a variety of foods. It is a vital nutrient needed for the production of cellular energy (Krebs cycle). Malic acid helps boost cellular energy and reduce achy muscles. It removes unwanted waste material from muscle cells including lactic acid, a byproduct of oxygen deficiency. Lactic acid has been implicated as one reason for achy muscles and may accumulate in muscles after periods of anaerobic and aerobic exercise.

Some questions:

What are good sources of fatty acids?
What is a good source of Serotonin?

For example, sardines and turkey respectively.

 

[LoveAndLight]

I just got the UltraMind Solution book today and look forward to reading it. I am still suffering with mental issues, but have gotten better over the years with alternative health therapy's(but now I know I must change my diet and detox for major positive changes to happen). The only thing I am worried about is that when I change my diet, I probably will lost weight and I am already skinny, but can the opposite happen? Maybe if I am stressing much less and eating right my body can gain weight, becasue its getting healthier. I plan to eat a strict diet and add supplements that I need.

P.S Just order magnesium, lets see how things go. :)

 

[theos]

Hi LoveAndLight,

The only thing I am worried about is that when I change my diet, I probably will lost weight and I am already skinny, but can the opposite happen? Maybe if I am stressing much less and eating right my body can gain weight, becasue its getting healthier....

I believe it is the case that your body, when becoming healthier gradually moves to a state that is natural for it. If one is overweight and begins a detox, one will slim down. If, on the other hand, if a poor diet and toxicity leads to underweight, the body move in the other direction toward a more "normal" weight. This was discussed a bit in the last podcast, Toxic World, Toxic bodies here:

http://www.sott.net/podcasts/listall