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Gluten

Anxiety: food based solutions with Trudy Scott on The Randy and Christa show

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I met Christa Orrechio at a conference earlier this year and was thrilled to be invited to speak on The Randy and Christa show. They are doing a fabulous job getting the wellness message out into the world! I also love how they have such fun doing this show!

During my segment we talked about the following:

  • Why read my book The Antianxiety Food Solution: if you’re stressed, have panic attacks, fears, phobias and even sugar cravings
  • “80-90% of my clients do better off gluten”
  • My client who went gluten-free: her eczema cleared up and she felt calmer
  • Amino acid supplements (like GABA and tryptophan) help you break the gluten addiction/craving
  • Low serotonin causes anxiety, sadness, excessive worry in the head, depression, afternoon and evening cravings, PMS, winter blues and sleep problems (see the whole questionnaire here)
  • Tryptophan (500mg is the starting dose) midafternoon and evening raises serotonin so you’ll feel calmer, hopeful and optimistic
  • Some people may do better on 5-HTP but it can raise cortisol levels
  • Too much of the amino acids can have a reverse effect – use what you need. You may need less than the starting dose
  • The amino acids are a short-term approach – you also need to be addressing diet and low blood sugar etc
  • Low GABA causes physical tension and anxiety (Randy finds GABA helps him sleep)
  • Caffeine is a problem for many people with anxiety – give it up! If it doesn’t make you anxious make sure it’s organic
  • Zinc and vitamin B6 are important for making GABA and serotonin
  • A good source of zinc and B6 is red meat. It’s also a good source of iron and omega-3s (as much omega3-s as salmon!). Of course it does need to be grass-fed!
  • The starting dose for vitamin B6 is 100mg
  • Magnesium is a calming mineral
  • Sign up for your free report “5 Simple Steps to Reduce Anxiety Now“

Be sure to listen to Randy and Christa when I drop off as they continue the discussion (12:30 minutes).

Regarding the red meat discussion they had a bit later, I’d like to add that I find many of my clients with mood issues – both anxiety and depression – do better with more red meat than just once or twice a week. Having it every day is just fine! As Christa said, it has all the amino acids to make our neurotransmitters/brain chemicals.

Christa Orecchio is a clinical and holistic nutritionist, and founder of The Whole Journey, a nutrition practice and informational website. She is on a mission to help as many people as possible to heal by addressing the root cause (and not just the symptom) of why they don’t feel good and concurrently teaches people how to use food as their medicine to heal their bodies so they can ultimately live a thriving, vibrant life.

Christa has a TV show on FOX in San Diego called “Food as Medicine” and is the co-host of her own nationally syndicated health talk show “The Randy and Christa Show”.

 

The Antianxiety Food Solution on Annie Jennings’ JenningsWire

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trudy scott on annie jenningsI really enjoyed sharing a few of my top antianxiety food solution tips on the Annie Jennings’ JenningsWire podcast! It was short but sweet! We managed to cover real food, red meat, coffee!!, tryptophan and gluten in 10 minutes!

The Antianxiety Food Solution

  • How do you calm your anxious mind, improve your mood and end cravings with food?
  • Does red meat cause anxiety?
  • If you’re anxious do you really have to quit caffeine?
  • Everyone is talking about the gluten-free diet – what is the tie in to mood?
  • What is your favorite nutrient for eliminating anxiety, worry, negative self-talk, low self-esteem and afternoon/evening sugar cravings?
  • What are the key nutrients for addressing social anxiety?

You can go to the Annie Jennings’ JenningsWire podcast page to listen to the 10 minute audio interview.

We didn’t get to the last question: What are the key nutrients for addressing social anxiety?  If you have the little-known condition called pyroluria (the main symptoms are inner tension and social anxiety) you may need to supplement with zinc and vitamin B6. These nutrients also happen to be co-factors for making brain chemicals like serotonin and the calming GABA.  I am seeing an overlap between the traits anxious introverts resonate with and the pyroluria symptoms !  Imagine a nutritional solution for anxious introverts!

From Annie’s site:  “This podcast is presented by Annie Jennings, of the National Publicity Firm, Annie Jennings PR and the creator of JenningsWire online magazine. JenningsWire is capturing the heart of America with its rich community of talented, insightful and relevant bloggers and podcasters!”

Thanks Annie and Stacey for the opportunity!

Anxiety and Depression Association of America 2013 conference highlights

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My gluten-mood poster at the 2013 ADAA conference
My gluten-mood poster at the 2013 ADAA conference

Last weekend I attended the annual conference of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America / ADAA and am pleased to share some of the highlights.

  • Gluten does have such a big impact on mood for so many people and I had many interested and curious visitors at my poster presentation (see the above picture)  “Evidence-based Research On The Serious Effects Of Gluten On Mental Health, With An In-depth Look At Testing And The Gluten-free Diet.” A number of people shared how gluten removal had eliminated their anxiety and/or depression too: a mom whose daughter quit gluten and found that this eliminated her panic attacks, a Canadian MD who didn’t know about gluten intolerance and infertility and the director of an anxiety clinic in Argentina. I was also honored to have Dr. Jerrold Rosenbaum, MD, ADAA Past President, Chief of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, stop by. He said “interesting… everyone where I live is going gluten-free.” I asked him “and what kind of feedback are you getting?” Dr. Rosenbaum: “They’re all feeling better!”
  • I attended a great presentation by Dr. Teri Pearlstein: “Treatment of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders”. Dr. Pearlstein shared studies that show that babies born to depressed moms may have similar health problems as those born to moms taking anti-depressant medications i.e. lower birth weight and smaller head circumference. However, I also learned this: in a JAMA Psychiatry study of more than 1800 children, investigators found an adjusted 2-fold increased risk for ASD (autism spectrum disorder) among mothers who used an SSRI during the year before delivery and a 3-fold increased risk when SSRIs were ingested during the first trimester. The study was done in 2011 so it’s not new but it’s still an important finding. To me, this provides a very big incentive for using drug-free solutions for pregnancy – which is why the amino acids, fish oils and other nutrients that I cover in The Antianxiety Food Solution are worth investigating as a better option.  We really need some research in this area!

I’ll be sharing some other interesting posters (like “Mindful-based stress reduction for stress and cognition in older adults”) and presentations (like Benzodiazapine side-effects and tolerance) in my next post on the ADAA.

Gluten and the serious effects on mental health: ADAA 2013

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logo_adaa

The 2013 annual conference of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America  is April 5-7 at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine (La Jolla, California).  It’s a wonderful conference to hear all the latest research on anxiety and depression.  The focus of the conference is primarily therapy and medications with some presentations and posters on exercise, nutrients, guided imagery, yoga and one topic on gluten (mine!)

I’m doing a poster presentation Friday, April 5, 6:30 – 8pm, “Evidence-based Research On The Serious Effects Of Gluten On Mental Health, With An In-depth Look At Testing And The Gluten-free Diet.” 

This poster will identify what gluten is, where it is found and if the gluten-free diet is a fad or very real concern for those with mental health disorders. The following will be explained: gluten sensitivity, celiac disease, and wheat allergies. Evidence-based research will be reviewed, showing the serious impacts of gluten on various mental health disorders: anxiety, social phobia, panic attacks, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Here are a few examples of some the research that will be reviewed: 

  • “gluten sensitivity remains undertreated and underrecognized as a contributing factor to psychiatric and neurologic manifestations” (Jackson, Psychiatric Quarterly 2011)
  • Spectrum of gluten-related disorders: consensus on new nomenclature and classification (Sapone, BMC Medicine, 2012)
  • Celiac disease, wheat allergy, and gluten sensitivity: when gluten free is not a fad. (Pietzak, Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 2012)
  • Gluten-free diet may alleviate depressive and behavioural symptoms in adolescents with coeliac disease (Pynnönen , BMC Psychiatry 2005)
  • Social phobia in coeliac disease (Addolorato, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 2008)

There will be an in-depth discussion of the various testing options and the many associated health problems that may be associated with gluten intolerance. This session will clearly define gluten-containing versus gluten-free foods when it comes to eating a gluten-free diet.

Melissa McLean Jory: Should we all be gluten-free to get the Gluten-Free Edge?

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Did you know that 1 in 100 Americans have celiac disease and most don’t know it? And that celiac disease is 5 times more common now than 50 years ago? And that osteoporosis and anemia are the two most common adult presentations of celiac disease?

I recently attended a great talk on gluten by Melissa McLean Jory, MNT. Melissa was one of the many great speakers at the annual NANP/National Association of Nutrition Professionals conference in San Francisco. Her talk was titled The Gluten-Free Edge: Digestive Health and Sports Nutrition for Active People.

Melissa said this: “There is no biological value in gluten” – for anyone! I find this so interesting because I’m beginning to think the same thing. In fact, I find that the majority of my clients with mood problems do better on a gluten-free diet.

Gluten can affect you in so many ways, whether you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.  Melissa shared this list of gluten-related disorders:

  • Depression and anxiety, social phobia, schizophrenia […I added the last three here]
  • Gastrointestinal problems, nutrient deficiencies, fat malabsorption
  • Neurological complications, fatigue, headaches, ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, poor concentration
  • Dermatitis herpetiformis, skin rashes, vitiligo, alopecia
  • Dental enamel abnormalities, canker sores
  • Anemia (iron, B12, folic acid deficiencies)
  • Osteoporosis, osteopenia, arthritis, Dupuytren’s contracture, bone abnormalities
  • Reduced fertility in men and women, recurrent miscarriages
  • Endocrine conditions, type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, Addison’s disease

What was new to me and fascinating was the athlete-gluten-performance connection that Melissa refers to as the “Gluten-Free Edge”. Over 60% of endurance athletes experience digestive problems such as abdominal pain and discomfort, diarrhea, constipation, gas and bloating. And because gluten causes inflammation, this can inhibit athletic performance and impair or delay recovery. The higher the sport intensity, the more likely the problem. Melissa shared that the Garmin Cycling Team went gluten-free for the 2008 season. They were the first pro-team to do so and this is what they found:

  • Less bloated and “heavy” feeling
  • Mentally sharper
  • Fewer stomach problems
  • Less stress on the immune system
  • Stronger performances

Wow! As Melissa says “Go gluten free – you have nothing to lose and everything to gain!”

Here is information on how to do a gluten elimination challenge.  I suggest you try it and see how you do

Melissa is wonderful and is so passionate about sharing this information. From her website: “I am Nutrition Therapist, have a degree in Exercise Science, am certified to teach yoga, and have a personal interest and expertise in celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and holistic health. I’m on a mission to increase awareness of celiac disease and help people navigate the gluten-free lifestyle with confidence, strength, optimal nutrition, and renewed vitality. I know how difficult that can be because I have celiac disease and so does my daughter, but with the right lifestyle changes, optimal health is not only achievable, it can be fun and taste good too!”

Melissa’s new book will be available in June and you can preorder it now. I can’t wait to read it! The Gluten-Free Edge: A Nutrition and Training Guide for Peak Athletic Performance and an Active Gluten-Free Life by Peter Bronski and Melissa McLean Jory.

The whole NANP conference was superb! Other highlights included: The Consequences of Undiagnosed Vitamin B12 Deficiency by Sally Pacholok and Clinical Tools for Working with Libido by Bari Mandelbaum, NC, B Sc., I’ll share gems from these and other talks in future blog posts.

Aubrey Huff anxiety attack: could it be a food-mood issue?

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Photo by Jeffjeff08 (from Wikimedia Commons)

Do world-class athletes actually have performance anxiety and panic attacks? And could there be a food mood and nutrient connection?  Yes, food does have a big impact on our mood. And yes, anxiety can affect anyone and many athletes are affected! The most recent example is baseball player Aubrey Huff, from the San Francisco Giants. Henry Schulman wrote about Aubrey’s panic attack in SFGate in an article titled Aubrey Huff opens up about his anxiety attacks :

Aubrey Huff says his first panic attack lasted for eight hours.

Aubrey Huff was standing in his New York hotel room at 5 o’clock in the morning in the early stages of what would be an eight-hour panic attack. The Giant were to play a doubleheader against the Mets that afternoon and evening. Baseball was the last thing on Huff’s mind.

“I couldn’t breathe,” Huff recalled. “I felt I was taking short breaths. Right then and there I thought I was having a heart attack. I told myself, ‘I’ll be damned if I’m going to be sitting in this hotel room and die of a heart attack. I’ve got to get out of here.'”

I used to have social anxiety and panic attacks and it was horrible! And very scary! I really feel for Aubrey and would love to be able to help!

If I was working with Aubrey this is what I’d have him do (this is my approach for anyone who is experiencing anxiety and anxiety attacks/panic attacks):

  1. I’d have him keep a 3 day food diary and we’d look at his intake of real whole food (including grass-fed meat) compared to junk food and fast food
  2. We’d look at caffeine and sugar intake and reduce this and eventually eliminate it. Caffeine can induce anxiety and for many people it’s a tough one to eliminate so we’d have to address the underlying fatigue and reason for “self-medication”. For Aubrey, it could possibly be burned out adrenals. High sugar consumption also affects the adrenals and results in nutrient depletion of minerals like zinc and magnesium, both of which help with anxiety
  3. We’d also look at his gluten intake and assess for gluten intolerance and/or celiac disease and have him start right away on a 2 week gluten elimination trial. Whether or not gluten is a contributing factor to the anxiety, as Melissa Mclean Jory says in the Gluten-Free Edge, athletes perform better when gluten is not a part of their diets
  4. We’d have him start on the first of the 4 antianxiety diets: real whole food, good quality protein, good fats, plenty of organic veggies and fruit, and with no gluten. And make sure he eating a good breakfast that does include protein – keeping blood sugar stable is key for anxiety
  5. We must also always consider neurotransmitter imbalances. In the same SF gate interview Aubrey said this “I couldn’t control one thought in my head. There were so many thoughts going through”. Low serotonin can cause anxiety, panic attacks and ruminating thoughts, so assessing for low serotonin would be key. If low serotonin is a factor then using the amino acid supplements tryptophan or 5-HTP would be worth considering. Research supports the use of 5-HTP for panic. GABA is a calming amino acid and it’s likely that Aubrey would benefit from this too, especially if he has stiff and tense muscles
  6. I would also consider the possibility of pyroluria. In an interview on his blog, Aubrey stated: “I was very shy in high school, if you can believe it. I broke out of my shell at the University of Miami when I got around guys like Burrell. I learned how to believe in myself – and I learned how to project confidence even when I didn’t feel very confident.” As reported by Carey Vanderborg, “the Social Anxiety Institute says that social anxiety disorder, also known as performance anxiety, is a persistent fear of performance situations–such as an athletic event–in which you’re exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible judgment by others.” Zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil can completely eliminate social anxiety in someone with pyroluria. Here is the pyroluria questionnaire that I’d have Aubrey use for assessing if this is part of the issue. Raising serotonin levels also helps with boosting confidence so it doesn’t have to be learned or forced.

Each person has their own unique biochemistry and there may be other factors involved but this would be a great start. This is what I wish for Aubrey Huff with this food-mood approach: totally free of anxiety, no more panic attacks, zero performance anxiety, feeling super-confident, have no ruminating thoughts, plus playing his best baseball ever!

I would LOVE to send a copy of my book to Aubrey so if you know how to get fan-mail to him please let me know. I tried the Giants office and didn’t have any luck.

You can find out more in The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings, available in major books stores, at Amazon and via www.antianxietyfoodsolution.com.