the antianxiety food solution

The Anxiety Summit – Pyroluria, Amino Acids and Anxiety: Troubleshooting when you are not getting results

May 16, 2015 By Trudy Scott 101 Comments

Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution. presents during the Anxiety Summit Season 3.

Pyroluria, Amino Acids and Anxiety: Troubleshooting when you are not getting results

Pyroluria and the effects of leaky gut, oxalates and low oxytocin levels
CFS, ADHD, autism, alcoholism, Lyme disease: the pyroluria connection
Introversion and musician’s dystonia: an update on the pyroluria connection
Troubleshooting the pyroluria protocol and mistakes I see
Testing for pyroluria, zinc, vitamin B6 and fatty acids
The 8 factors that make the targeted individual amino acids more effective
What to do when the amino acids are not working
Concerns about quinolinic acid and tryptophan?

Pyroluria/social anxiety/introversion protocol: trouble-shooting

This is the blog I mentioned that summarizes a number of prior blog posts on the topic: Pyroluria, social anxiety, introversion: a summary

We discussed factors to consider when you are not getting results on the pyroluria protocol. Here is the blog with the 21 we talked about during the interview plus additional factors that I’ve added.

Pyroluria protocol: why aren’t I getting results – trouble-shooting checklist

Here are the oxytocin blogs that discuss social anxiety, testing, the oxytocin receptor gene and connections to autism and depression:

Oxytocin, social anxiety, pyroluria and autism

Dr. Woeller shares how helpful oxytocin is for social anxiety, facial recognition and voice recognition in individuals with autism and Asperger’s syndrome

Oxytocin and social anxiety, pyroluria and depression?

Genetic variation in the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) has been implicated in anxiety, depression and related stress phenotypes

I mentioned my aminos and pyroluria interview with Sean Croxton on the upcoming Depression Sessions (an online video series) in June. He is an introvert and is fascinated with pyroluria-introversion connection. I said I’d share a link to the Depression Sessions but the site isn’t quite ready so please stay tuned. I’ll share it in a few days. This one is not to be missed.

Targeted individual amino acid supplements for anxiety: trouble-shooting

This is the blog I mentioned that summarizes a number of prior blog posts on the topic: Anxiety and targeted individual amino acid supplements: a summary

Here are the categories I discussed, together with the associated amino acid/s

low blood sugar: glutamine
low GABA: GABA (I prefer GABA to Phenibut or pharmaGABA)
low serotonin: tryptophan or 5-HTP
low endorphins: DPA (d-phenylalanine)
low catecholamines: tyrosine

Here is the Amino Acids Mood Questionnaire from The Antianxiety Food Solution. I encourage you to do and see which sections may be an issue for you (or see how much you’ve improved if you’ve been using amino acids)

I discussed why Urinary neurotransmitter testing falls short and why I use the above questionnaire instead

There are some precautions to be aware of when taking supplemental amino acids. Here are the Amino Acid Precautions

The 8 factors that make the amino acids more effective:

addressing blood sugar issues and eating real whole food
the brand and quality
timing i.e. between meals and away from protein
your unique amount for your own need
addressing bipolar or bipolar-type symptoms
using the pyroluria protocol at the same time (if needed)
addressing thyroid health and hormonal health
taking the amino acids opened up

Thanks to Dr. Josh Friedman, Integrative Psychotherapist, for the interview. As I mentioned, I interviewed him on season 1 of the Anxiety summit on: “Integrative Psychotherapy: My Journey from Psychoanalysis to Whole Person Mental Health.” If you missed it, I highly recommend it. Dr. Friedman is dear friend, colleague and integrative psychotherapist who uses amino acids and other nutritional approaches in his practice. During our season 1 interview I asked him if he uses GABA with his patients and I love his answer:

it is definitely something I use. I am not a biochemist, so I actually don’t really know whether it crosses the blood/brain barrier, nor do I care actually. the first question should be, is it harmful? Are any of these things going to cause harm? And the answer with all the amino acids are no, they’re not going to cause harm, especially when compared to psychiatric medicines. The second question is, does it work? Is it helpful for our patients that we see in our practice?

Here is a link to 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 we mentioned, it has the amino acid questionnaire, pyroluria questionnaire and all the protocols BUT does not contain the 21+ pyroluria touble-shooting checklist (see the separate blog post for this)

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here: www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts and listen when it suits you.

You can find your purchasing options here: Anxiety Summit Season 1, Anxiety Summit Season 2, and Anxiety Summit Season 3.

Amino Acid Precautions

November 16, 2014 By Trudy Scott 159 Comments

There are some precautions to be aware of when taking supplemental amino acids. These are reprinted from The Mood Cure (2004) with permission from Julia Ross. Consult a knowledgeable practitioner before taking any supplemental amino acids if any of the following statements apply to you:

React to supplements, foods or medications with unusual or uncomfortable symptoms
Have a serious physical illness, particularly cancer
Have severe liver or kidney problems
Have an ulcer (amino acids are slightly acidic)
Have schizophrenia or other mental illness
Pregnant or nursing
Taking any medications for mood problems, particularly MAO inhibitors, or more than one SSRI

Also, please be aware of the following precautions in regard to specific amino acids and consult with a knowledgeable practitioner if in doubt:

Overactive thyroid/Grave’s disease: tyrosine, DLPA
Phenylketonuria (PKU): tyrosine, DLPA
Melanoma: tyrosine, DLPA
High Blood pressure: tyrosine, DLPA
Migraine headaches: tyrosine, DLPA
Low blood pressure: GABA, taurine
High blood pressure and on blood pressure medications: GABA, taurine (Sept 2023: research)
Asthma: tryptophan, melatonin
Severe depression: melatonin
Bipolar disorder: tyrosine, DLPA, glutamine
Cancer: there is a question around glutamine (some research shows it’s beneficial some research suggests avoiding it – check with your oncologist if you are currently undergoing treatment)

Amino Acids and SSRIs

If you’re currently taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) or monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI), don’t take either 5-HTP or tryptophan unless you’re working with a knowledgeable practitioner. Taking 5-HTP or tryptophan with either of these classes of antidepressants may cause serotonin syndrome, an adverse reaction characterized by agitation, confusion, rapid heart rate, and blood pressure fluctuations. If you experience these symptoms, stop taking 5-HTP or tryptophan immediately. When I have clients who are taking a single SSRI who might also benefit from tryptophan or 5-HTP, I have them take the amino acid six hours apart from their medication—after obtaining approval from their doctor and with their doctor monitoring for adverse reactions. Please do the same. I also recommend the chapter on antidepressants and amino acids in The Mood Cure: The 4-Step Program to take charge of your Emotions

The above (except for the cancer/glutamine statement) is an excerpt from my book The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings

Here is a link to the information shared during my interview on the Anxiety Summit season 2: Targeted individual amino acids for eliminating anxiety: practical applications

The questionnaire is also on the blog – amino acid questionnaire It has many comments that are invaluable.

The Anxiety Summit: MTHFR and your mood

June 16, 2014 By Trudy Scott 18 Comments

This is day 9 of the Anxiety Summit. Coleen Walsh Functional Nutritionist, Master Nutrition Therapist and dubbed the “methyl queen” by colleagues, is interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Are Your Genes Depressing You?: MTHFR and your mood

the Methylation Cycle overview, MTHFR and B vitamins as cofactors
how MTHFR effects the BH4 cycle and serotonin and dopamine
factors that disturb methylation, how to test and what to do
epigenetics and how SNPs are not our destiny

Here is are some great words of wisdom from my interview with Coleen:

MTHFR SNPs can affect the BH4 cycle which is crucial for our neurotransmitter production

Our DNA is not set in stone! Diet and lifestyle can go a long way to change our health destiny

Coleen wanted me to share this with you: methylation pathway chart created by Dr Amy Yasko

Get your free gift from Coleen Walsh: MTHFR Quick Start Guide

I highly recommend Coleen’s MTHFR course: MTHFR and Methylation Explained, a 5 hour webinar for Healthcare practitioners

Find Coleen on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/Harvestingnutrition

~~If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com~~

UPDATE: the summit concluded on Tues 6/24 – season 2 of The Anxiety Summit will be in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts + interview highlights and listen when it suits you

The Anxiety Summit: Roots, Leaves and Vitamin Bs for Anxiety

June 16, 2014 By Trudy Scott 27 Comments

This is day 8 of the Anxiety Summit. Dr Corey Schuler, MS, DC – Board-certified nutrition specialist, chiropractic physician and known as the “good mood dude” is interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Roots, Leaves and Vitamin Bs for Anxiety

Oral lavender for anxiety: safety, research and mechanism of action
4 key B vitamins for anxiety and HPA dysregulation
3 types of sex hormone dysregulation in women and the role of Femmenessence
Unique non-supplement approaches for anxiety

Here is are a few gems from my interview with Corey:

My favorite herb lavender now has research supporting oral use for anxiety and Corey shared some of the very interesting research on how it can serve as a natural alternative to Paxil. Here is a great blog post Corey wrote on the Integrative Therapeutics site: New Study on the Efficacy of Oral Lavender Oil
You’ll learn more about maca for hormonal balance in women
And lovely tips for stress reduction – these will rock your busy world!

Get your free gift from Dr Corey Schuler: “Balancing Hormones in an Unbalanced World”

And be sure to find him on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/drcoreyschuler

~~If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com~~

UPDATE: the summit concluded on Tues 6/24 – season 2 of The Anxiety Summit will be in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

The Anxiety Summit: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Anxiety

June 16, 2014 By Trudy Scott 12 Comments

This is day 7 of the Anxiety Summit. Dr. Izabella Wentz – PharmD, author of Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause is interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Anxiety

Why hypothyroidism can sometimes feel like anxiety and the definition of autoimmunity
How common is it and an overview of the best testing
The role of the gut and food intolerances
The key nutrients: zinc, iodine, selenium and more

Here is a great gem from my interview with Izabella:

When the thyroid is attacked by the immune system like in Hashimoto’s it results in the breakdown of the thyroid tissue and thyroid hormones are rushed into the bloodstream, causing a transient overactive thyroid and anxiety symptoms.”

Remember that the thyroid needs to be functioning well for the amino acids to be effective.

I highly recommend Izabella’s book Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause and love Izabella’s great content-packed Facebook page Thyroid Lifestyle

Get your free gift from Dr Izabella Wentz. She has a chapter from her book on nutrient depletions, a gluten free guide, and a lovely recipes eBook http://www.thyroidpharmacist.com/gift.html

~~If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here www.theAnxietySummit.com~~

UPDATE: the summit concluded on Tues 6/24 – season 2 of The Anxiety Summit will be in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

The Anxiety Summit: How zinc and vitamin B6 prevent pyroluria and social anxiety

June 15, 2014 By Trudy Scott 217 Comments

How zinc and vitamin B6 prevent pyroluria and social anxiety

– an interview with Trudy Scott, host of the Anxiety Summit (interviewer is Corey Schuler, who presents on Tuesday)

This interview was done on day 7 of The Anxiety Summit: Nutritional approaches for eliminating anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks and OCD.

You can read/learn more about the summit in my opening talk/blog “Why the Anxiety Summit? Stats, trends and gems.”

Pyroluria/social anxiety

Low levels of the mineral zinc and vitamin B6 are frequently associated with a type of anxiety characterized by social anxiety, avoidance of crowds, a feeling of inner tension, and bouts of depression. People with this problem experience varying degrees of anxiety or fear, often starting in childhood, but they usually manage to cover it up. They tend to build their life around one person, become more of a loner over time, have difficulty handling stress or change, and have heightened anxiety symptoms when under more stress.

This constellation of symptoms is often the result of a genetic condition called pyroluria, also known as high mauve, pyrrole disorder, pyrroluria, pyrolleuria, malvaria, and elevated kryptopyrroles.

Here is the online version of the Pyroluria Questionnaire from The Antianixety Food Solution.

Be sure to read the comments for a wealth of information. You’ll see the dystonia question here.

If you need more information I have a whole chapter on pyroluria in my book:

The Antianxiety Food Solution: How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood and End Cravings (New Harbinger 2011).

The pyroluria chapter includes very detailed sections on the background, the questionnaire, testing and pyroluria supplement protocol.
It does not mention introversion, miscarriage and dystonia as these are new areas that I’m looking into

Here are other great books that also address pyroluria:

Joan Mathews Larson Depression Free Naturally

Carl Pfeiffer Nutrition and Mental Illness

Eva Edelman Natural Healing for Schizophrenia and Other Common Mental Disorders. As Corey said, this one is more for the practitioner.

The pyroluria-introversion connection

This is the blog post I wrote in response to the Huffington Post article, written by Carolyn Gregoire and called “23 Signs You’re Secretly An Introvert”

“Am I an anxious introvert because of low zinc and vitamin B6? My response to Huffington Post blog”

Be sure to check out the 23 signs and the responses from my wonderful followers.

I’d like to invite you to do both questionnaires and comment on the blog. Tell us that yes you are an introvert and yes you score over 15 on the pyroluria question or whatever the outcome is.

Pyroluria and fear of public speaking

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. Read more and watch her video testimonial here.

Do you have a fear of public speaking ? Did it improve when you addressed pyroluria? Please comment and let us know.

And here is the info about the zinc taste test and Kelly’s funny video! Enjoy

find that the majority of my clients with anxiety, pyroluria, depression and/or sugar and carb cravings are low in zinc. I have all my clients do the zinc status test when we start working together and then we retest their levels each week until they have good zinc levels. I use zinc sulfate, a liquid zinc that tastes a certain way depending on zinc levels. – See more at: https://www.everywomanover29.com/blog/zinc-deficiency-and-using-the-zinc-taste-test/#sthash.0hriWmqc.dpuf

My interview on pyroluria airs on The Anxiety Summit on Sunday June 15th from 9am PDT (USA time) until 8:59am the next day. You can get access to this interview and all the interviews here www.theAnxietySummit.com – Enjoy!

~~UPDATE: the summit concluded on Tues 6/24 – season 2 of The Anxiety Summit will be in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com~~

Missed this interview or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts and listen when it suits you.

You can find your purchasing options here: Anxiety Summit Season 1, Anxiety Summit Season 2, and Anxiety Summit Season 3.

You can pre-register for future seasons of The Anxiety Summit here: www.theAnxietySummit.com