The Secret of Serotonin

[new_ruby]

Hi all,
I found an excellent article which describes, in layperson language, the role of serotonin in the 'proper' functioning of the body.
It describes really well, the role that diet plays in mood regulation, and lists some serotonin laden foods etc.
Now I'm hoping that I can have walnuts when I'm on maintenance !!
Cheers,
Ruby

Follow this link: http://www.adavic.org/education/heal..._Serotonin.htm

[thenewvee]

Thanks for posting that Ruby, it is a very interesting article!
I think it certainly explains a lot of why this diet is the way that it is!

Vee

[LynneeL]

Hi New Ruby

Thanks for posting this link. A very interesting article.

I do worry about one of the paragraphs:

Anti-Serotonin Foods

Stimulants like caffeine are the number one enemy of serotonin. Aspartame (aka NutraSweet) is enemy number two. NutraSweet, an artificial sweetener, is found in foods such as most chewing gums, foods that are labelled ‘diet’ or ‘no sugar’ (such as ‘diet’ soft drinks), and a range of sweets and confectionary. One of its primary ingredients (the amino acid phenylalanine) converts to the stimulating chemicals adrenaline and dopamine in the brain. Aspartame also contains a substance called aspartic acid which is one of the most ‘excitatory’ of substances. Both aspartic acid and phenylalanine ‘compete’ with and deplete tryptophan and serotonin in the body. If you are low in serotonin, you will need to exclude foods from your diet that will have an ‘excitatory’ effect, especially any time after lunch, the time when serotonin levels always begin to decrease for the day.

Yet we are allowed to drink up to 1 Litre of diet sodas e.g. Sprite Zero, Diet Coke caffeine free per day, which all have Phenylalanine contained in them, and so does the artificial sweetener that is recommended Hermesetas. This worries me as this Phenylalanine is a known carcinogenic. Why has Dr Cohen not addressed this issue, if this diet is based on the hormones HGH, Serotonin & Insulin?