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Zinc, turmeric and tryptophan for brain health and mood

By Trudy Scott 33 Comments

Boys Telling Secrets

So much can be done using the amazing healing power of foods and nutrients when it comes to brain health and mood. I truly believe this holistic health approach is the way to go because it gets back to basics and addresses the root causes of issues instead of the using the band-aid approach. The added bonus is that this approach also improves focus, skin health, digestion, heart health and more.

Here are just some of my top nutrients for a healthy brain and great mood!

Zinc is one of the top nutrient deficiencies I see with my clients.

Zinc is a key nutrient for the prevention of anxiety and depression, especially the type of social anxiety called pyroluria. Here is the pyroluria questionnaire: https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/pyroluria-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/ It’s also been shown to be beneficial for sleep, cognitive function and for healing from traumatic brain injury. Zinc is also an important co-factor in making the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin.

Turmeric is an uncommon yet powerful supplement

Research shows that turmeric has “promising cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory properties”. We often see inflammation and brain/mood problems go hand in hand. Inflammation produces cytokines which activate the IDO enzyme, degrading tryptophan and leading to less serotonin and less melatonin. This can result in increased depression and anxiety, poor sleep and poor focus. A new randomized, controlled clinical trial published in the journal Phytotherapy Research has confirmed that the primary polyphenol in turmeric known as curcumin is both safe and effective in treating serious states of depression. One study even found that turmeric benefited 3 patients with Alzheimer’s disease and reduced symptoms of irritability, agitation, anxiety, and apathy.

Tryptophan is an amazing amino acid

It promotes sleep and improves depression, anxiety, panic, worry and OCD /obsessive compulsive symptoms in people who have low serotonin. I have my clients do this questionnaire so we can figure out which deficiency they have https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/amino-acids-mood-questionnaire-from-the-antianxiety-food-solution/ Although there isn’t a great deal of research on this amino acid and “the evidence base is significantly larger for depression than for anxiety disorder”, tryptophan is recognized as an add-on for when someone is on medications. I see so much success using tryptophan with my clients that I wish it was the first choice before anti-depressants!

I’d like to share some recent success I’ve seen with tryptophan. I’ve been having the most amazingly rewarding sessions with a young man (and his mom). During our first session, an in-office trial of 100mg of chewable tryptophan reduced his worry, sadness and very busy thoughts from a 7/8/9 out of 10, to a 3 out of 10 within 5-10 minutes. He said “my head feels different…good different…I’m thinking happy things”. He started to smile a lot. He also has a repetitive behavior which went from 7/8 out of 10, to a 5 out of 10. Tryptophan is known for reducing OCD but it wasn’t quite enough and we have had to add inositol too. I know the amazing amino acids work wonders but I’m always thrilled when I see them in action changing lives. And most of all, I’m so pleased his mom decided to go this route first instead of having him take medications. We are simply addressing nutritional deficiencies like low serotonin and low zinc [he did also need zinc].

What supplements have you found to be beneficial for your brain health, anxiety or depression? 

Overcome your fear of public speaking

By Trudy Scott 25 Comments

overcome fear of public speaking

Whether you believe the statistic that more people fear public speaking than they do death (41% vs 19%) or the 2011 Gallup poll that has fear of public speaking at 41% and fear of snakes at 50%, that is still a large number of fearful people when it comes to speaking on stage!

I love to do presentations and am never fearful when I get on stage and speak in front of audiences but it wasn’t always like this. I used to have to really force myself and push through the fear, I felt terribly uncomfortable and almost breathless. I also used to hate networking events and mingling. Then I discovered that I have pyroluria (see the pyroluria questionnaire here), a genetic condition that leads to anxiety, inner tension and feeling uncomfortable in crowds. By adding a few key nutrients – zinc, vitamin B6 and evening primrose oil – my pyroluric symptoms are completely in check, hence my calm in the face of speaking in public. I speak nationally about The Antianxiety Food Solution and always joke that I am Ms Antianxiety! I also have a new-found love of networking and meeting people!

Sontine is a client of mine who made diet changes, lifestyle changes like walking and added the key nutrients like zinc and vitamin B6 (and a few others) and found she too had no more fear of public speaking – and she actually started to really enjoy it! She also started to sleep well and had good energy. She was skeptical that this was possible for her but curiosity got the better of her and she’s so pleased with the results.

Here is Sontine’s story in her own words:

The first time I heard Trudy telling her personal story about anxiety and nutrition, I thought ‘that’s a really unique situation’. I believed it worked for her but that it was ‘just one in a million…it’s not going to work for most people and it’s not going to work for me’

After working with Trudy for 3 months I’ve had amazing changes:

  • From exhausted to normal healthy energy
  • Anxiety has decreased
  • Mood and blood sugar has stabilized
  • Sleeping better
  • Completely lost my fear of public speaking which has plagued me my whole life! I was so terrified I avoided it as much as possible. Now I am not nervous and I enjoy it! It’s been amazing for me!

Sontine is also a busy mom with a busy job – like many of us are – but she made time to go for an evening walk with her young daughter and husband [we recorded this in December last year, hence the reference to Christmas lights] and says that such a small thing makes all the difference in how she feels. We know how beneficial exercise is for both mood and sleep

PS. I also added GABA, removed caffeine and removed gluten from my diet. Each person is unique and you will have to find your own unique nutritional approach.

So how are you when it comes to public speaking?  And what do you do to stay calm?

If you’re fearful could pyroluria also be your problem?

Do you perhaps have clients who hate and fear public speaking?

Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution

By Trudy Scott 362 Comments

The targeted use of individual amino acid supplements will balance brain chemistry to alleviate anxiety, fear, worry, panic attacks, and feeling stressed or overwhelmed. They can also be helpful in addressing other problems that contribute to or exacerbate anxiety, such as sugar cravings and addictions. In addition, they can help with depression and insomnia, which often co-occur with anxiety. When you balance your brain chemistry, not only will you alleviate symptoms of anxiety, you’ll also have a great mood, eliminate cravings, sleep well, and have good energy and mental focus.

Worry and anxiety can be a result of low GABA and also low serotonin, so you may check off anxiety in both sections. Low GABA tends to result in a more physical anxiety, while low serotonin tends to result in more anxiety in the head, ruminating thoughts etc.

Low GABA

Low Serotonin

  • Anxiety
  • Panic attacks or phobias
  • Feeling worried or fearful
  • Obsessive thoughts or behaviors
  • Perfectionism or being overly controlling
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety that’s worse in winter
  • Winter blues or seasonal affective disorder
  • Negativity or depression
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Excessive self-criticism
  • Low self-esteem and poor self-confidence
  • PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or menopausal mood swings
  • Sensitivity to hot weather
  • Hyperactivity
  • Anger or rage
  • Digestive issues
  • Fibromyalgia, temporomandibular joint syndrome, or other pain syndromes
  • Difficulty getting to sleep
  • Insomnia or disturbed sleep
  • Afternoon or evening cravings for carbs, alcohol or drugs

Low Catecholamines

  • Depression and apathy
  • Easily bored
  • Lack of energy
  • Lack of focus
  • Lack of drive and low motivation
  • Attention deficit disorder
  • Procrastination and indecisiveness
  • Craving carbs, alcohol, caffeine, or drugs for energy

Low Endorphins

  • Heightened sensitivity to emotional pain
  • Heightened sensitivity to physical pain
  • Crying or tearing up easily
  • Eating to soothe your mood, or comfort eating
  • Really, really loving certain foods, behaviors, drugs, or alcohol
  • Craving a reward or numbing treat
  • PMS (premenstrual syndrome) or PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder) * (Mar 2022: research published in 1989)

Low Blood Sugar

  • Crave sugar, starch or alcohol any time during the day
  • Irritable, shaky, headachey – especially if too long between meals
  • Intense cravings for sweets
  • Lightheaded if meals are missed
  • Eating relieves fatigue
  • Agitated, easily upset, nervous
  • Waking in the night or early hours with a jolt of anxiety/shakiness * (Feb 2024: case studies)
  • Binge eating and/or food addiction * (Feb 2024: research and a case study)

(* New additions that are not in my book. I’ve linked to some case studies above but there are many more on the blog so be sure to use the search feature)

Each of the above sections on specific neurotransmitter or brain chemical imbalances are found in The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings. They were reprinted from The Mood Cure (2004) with permission from Julia Ross. They do contain some of my own modifications based on my experience with working with many clients, and the new additions as mentioned above.

Individual amino acids are used based on the above questionnaires and the results are profound and often felt within a few minutes:

Resources if you are new to using amino acids as supplements

If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings, (as I mentioned above) I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner/health team you or your loved one is working with.

There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control, sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues.

The book doesn’t include product names (per the publisher’s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs. You can find them all in my online store.

If, after reading this blog and my book, you don’t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program (if you have low GABA symptoms too). This is a paid online/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support.

If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals program. This is also a paid online/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.

Do you resonate with symptoms in more than one area? This is not unusual.

Do you resonate with some of the more recent additions to the low GABA section?

Feel free to share how the amino acids have helped you and if you found this symptoms questionnaire helpful for figuring out where to start.

If you have questions and other feedback please share here too.

The Antianxiety Food Solution debut on Gaiam TV

By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

regina-trudy-gaiamtv

I was thrilled to have been invited by Gaiam TV to be interviewed by the lovely and visionary Regina Meredith. They flew me out to beautiful Boulder, Colorado, picked me up from the airport, put me up in the historic Boulderado hotel, took me to dinner and pretty much treated me like royalty! I was very spoiled! The interview was an hour long and will air January 30 at 5pm mountain time, as part of The Healing Matrix show.

I spoke with Regina Meredith about the very powerful food mood connection, my story with anxiety and panic attacks and why I am is so passionate about helping people overcome anxiety. We discussed why grass-fed red meat and liver are so important and how I love sardines. We had a discussion about vegetarianism and why many people with mood problems do better with animal protein. I also talked about giving up chocolate and coffee (yes! really!), the toxic effects of sugar, and why gluten may be making you anxious. A healthy digestive system is imperative for good health and good mood and we discussed leaky gut and stomach acid at length. Finally I wrapped up with an overview of the incredible and amazing amino acids that end anxiety, worry, depression, and stop sugar cravings in their tracks, so zero willpower is required! It’s all powerful stuff and backed by plenty of science-based research and clinical results!

It really is a small world – Regina actually also lives in the Sacramento area and flies into Boulder each week to do her interviews! In 2004, together with her husband, she formed Conscious Media Network which was acquired by Gaiam TV last year. Prior to that she was on various Sacramento shows: KCRA Channel 3, NBC, KTXL Channel 40 and PBS.

I think Gaiam TV is going to become a firm favorite of mine. They have thousands of conscious media titles, fitness and health titles and much more.

The details on how to watch my show will be coming shortly. I’ll also be unveiling an exciting new product to help you on your journey to feeling on top of the world, and will have some special offers so look out for this!

PS. I’m a fan of work and fun and since we used to live in Colorado, we decided to make a trip of it! We stayed to ski afterwards and met up with good friends Susan and Tim, and the Lainis family. We arrived in balmy weather…balmy for Colorado so 50F (9 or 10 C) and then the cold snap hit and wow was it COLD! We skied at Vail twice and the second time the high was 15F! The last day we skied at Keystone and the early morning temperature was minus 11F. But we had a blast. And we were, as always, impressed with how stunningly beautiful the Rocky Mountains are in winter!

tim susan brad trudy vail