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How to Beat Anxiety and Resolve Panic Attacks with Targeted Amino Acids: Wellness Mama podcast

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Today I share my wonderful interview with Katie, the “Wellness Mama”. We talk about my favorite topic: How to Beat Anxiety and Resolve Panic Attacks with Targeted Amino Acids with some extra questions about pregnancy and nursing that I’m not often asked about. Katie is mom to 6 children and many in her community are moms too.

Here is some of what we cover in our interview:

  • nutritional deficiencies commonly linked to anxiety, depression, and other problems
  • my own story of recovery from severe panic attacks
  • why perfectionism and worry might have more to do with body chemistry than your personality
  • all about the key anti-anxiety amino acids: GABA, theanine, tryptophan, 5-HTP (and others)
  • how low vitamin D, low zinc, high copper, and other nutritional factors add to anxiety
  • the low zinc and high copper play a role in postpartum depression
  • the potential neurotransmitter issue that leads to cravings
  • biochemical reasons some people are introverted or socially anxious
  • guidance for pregnant moms who can’t take amino acids (and what to do if you’re nursing)
  • the way an MTHFR mutation is linked to anxiety and how to resolve it

Here is a snippet of our interview on the topic of how to assess for low neurotransmitters and do a trial of GABA or tryptophan, and how quickly they work:

Just like you test your vitamin D levels – that’ll tell you that you’ve got low levels and you need to supplement with vitamin D, then you’ll retest and see that your levels have come up. With the amino acids and the low neurotransmitters, I find using a questionnaire is the best way to assess the fact that you may have low GABA and you may have low serotonin. Then you do a trial of the amino acid based on your unique needs, and then you redo the questionnaire and you see how things have changed.

If you use these targeted individual amino acids based on your unique need, you can see results very quickly – within five minutes, and then over the course of the next few weeks you should be seeing results very quickly. Some people will say, “I’m not seeing any impact, should I keep trying, you know, how long should I be aiming for.” The thing that, about the amino is that are so amazing, is that you get results right away. If you don’t get results, it means it’s not enough or it means you don’t need it. The anxiety is not caused by low serotonin or low GABA.

I also talk about my personal experience with low serotonin and perfectionism:

I discovered low serotonin was a factor because although the GABA helped with the physical anxiety and the panic attacks, I still had this perfectionism issue. I remember working in that computer job and being called up to do an appraisal. And they told me I was too much of a perfectionist and I needed to let go a little bit. I couldn’t believe anyone could think that was a bad thing. So it was interesting how, as you start to implement some of these, you start to realize some of these other things that you may think is just a personality thing or it’s just me, it’s just the way I am – you realize that some of these things can be related to biochemical imbalances.

As I mention above Katie does ask me about using the amino acids during pregnancy and while nursing:

I don’t recommend anyone take them during pregnancy. It’s difficult advice for me to give because I know that there are so many issues with SSRIs during pregnancy. Because we don’t have the research, it’s not something that I can recommend. If you are prone to anxiety or you’ve had anxiety, get that sorted out before you get pregnant. I know, that’s easier said than done. A lot of women really want to get pregnant now or they are pregnant and then they realize that they’ve got the anxiety. So that’s a very difficult situation.

Once you’ve had the baby, if you are having really bad anxiety, obviously you’ve got to talk to your doctor and make sure that they are okay with you taking the amino acids right after nursing and then waiting four to six hours before nursing again. It is one way to do it. And then monitoring the baby to make sure that they are okay. There are actually two studies that came out recently showing that tryptophan and tyrosine, doesn’t seem to be an issue in breast milk.

You can listen to the entire interview (and download the interview mp3 file and read the transcript) via the Wellness Mama podcast #105 blog.

For additional information on products over and above those we covered in the interview here are some recent blogs:

Katie, is the “Wellness Mama” and her goal is to help other families live more naturally through practical tips, real food recipes, natural beauty and cleaning tutorials, natural remedies and more. Her blog is a wealth of information and if you don’t tune in to her podcasts and get her newsletter I encourage you to check her out.

Here are a few really good ones to get you started (although they really are all excellent!):

She shares this on her site: “my real goal with the blog is to help you and to create lasting changes so that our children can grow up in a better world.” I just love her mission and passion and all the very practical and safe solutions she offers!

Nutrition solutions for psychological stress after a natural disaster

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There is much that can be done nutritionally in support of psychological stress and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) during and after a natural disaster. I’ve written this blog for you if you’ve been impacted by the recent storm and flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in the Houston area (the pictures of people returning home are so sad), and for everyone impacted by Irma and about to be impacted by Irma. This is for you if

  • you had to be rescued and had to evacuate your home, are displaced and/or saw neighbors in trouble, have lost your belongings and home – and anything else that may have happened during this natural disaster
  • you have been involved in on-the-ground rescue efforts or working online helping with rescue efforts and you have working long hours, not getting enough sleep and likely not eating well
  • you had a loved one in trouble and feared for their lives
  • and if you’re on observer feeling distressed by what you have witnessed

You may be feeling on edge and anxious about the future, fearful about losing your job, worried about expenses and the chemical soup of flood waters you were exposed to, exhausted and yet not able to sleep, feeling overly emotional and weepy, having nightmares and flashbacks and feeling frazzled.

I wasn’t even in Texas and my contribution was a very small one, helping online rescue efforts from Australia via a volunteer rescue group created by McCall McPherson, but I felt really burned out after just a few days and quite distressed by some of the rescues we were trying to facilitate. I have had to really walk my talk and implement some of what I’m sharing here even though I would consider myself resilient because my nutrient balance is good.

B-Complex for everyone

My first recommendation is a B complex and if this is all that can be managed it would be my first choice for everyone. In fact, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, flood, fires etc. I’d recommend being on a B complex all the time.

My colleagues Bonnie Kaplin and Julia Rucklidge published this paper in 2015: A randomised trial of nutrient supplements to minimise psychological stress after a natural disaster. They share that:

After devastating flooding in southern Alberta in June 2013, we attempted to replicate a New Zealand randomised trial that showed that micronutrient (minerals, vitamins) consumption after the earthquakes of 2010-11 resulted in improved mental health. Residents of southern Alberta were invited to participate in a study on the potential benefit of nutrient supplements following a natural disaster.

Fifty-six adults aged 23-66 were randomised to receive one of the following for 6 weeks:

  1. vitamin D as a single nutrient
  2. a B-Complex formula or a
  3. broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula

The study participants monitored changes in depression, anxiety and stress via self-reporting. All of the above 3 groups showed substantial decreases on all measures. However, those consuming the B-Complex and the broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula showed significantly greater improvement in stress and anxiety compared with those consuming the vitamin D alone, with the results being similar for the group using the B-Complex and the broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula.

The authors report that:

The use of nutrient formulas with multiple minerals and/or vitamins to minimise stress associated with natural disasters is now supported by three studies.

Further research should be carried out to evaluate the potential population benefit that might accrue if such formulas were distributed as a post-disaster public health measure.

I would love to see either a B-Complex or broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula be given out to everyone as part of relief efforts for all natural disasters.

The B-Complex used in the study was made by Douglas labs but other similar B-Complex products would be fine too.  I happen to use Designs for Health B Supreme with my clients.

The broad-spectrum mineral/vitamin formula in the study was EmpowerPlus made by TrueHope.

From: A randomised trial of nutrient supplements to minimise psychological stress after a natural disaster

Vitamin D based on levels

In the above study, some participants in the vitamin D group did see benefits and it’s likely to have been those who were low in vitamin D at the time of the flooding since other research supports a connection between low vitamin D and anxiety and depression. I like to see vitamin D results before recommending supplementation.

Serotonin, GABA and endorphin support based on symptoms and a trial

As well as a B-complex and/or vitamin D, I’d also consider the following neurotransmitter support on a case by case basis, and after doing the amino acid questionnaire and a trial of each amino acid:

  • Serotonin support with Lidtke tryptophan or Lidtke Tryptophan Complete or Lidtke Combat Stress (a tryptophan product formulated for stress support) – especially if you’re feeling sad, worried, resolving to try and feel positive, imagining the worst, feeling fearful and having problem sleeping. I blogged about tryptophan products last week.
  • GABA support for physical tension and an increased need to self-medicate with alcohol in order to stay calm. New research shows that reduced plasma levels of GABA observed in PTSD could be considered as a possible biomarker for PTSD severity. This is not something I typically look at but it’s something I will be considering going forward. I blogged about some specific GABA products earlier this week.
  • Endorphin support with Lidtke DPA if you’re feeling especially emotional and weepy.

Serotonin and GABA play a role in stress resilience and when we have enhanced stress resilience mechanisms we have the ability to adapt more successfully to stressful situations like natural disasters.    

Additional adrenal support if needed

The adrenals are part of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA) and also need nutritional support after stress and trauma. I recommend a good adrenal support product with rhodiola, Vitamin C, pantothenic acid, eleuthero and ashwagandha. Designs for Health Adrenotone is a good product.

If it’s known that cortisol levels are high then the addition of Seriphos and/or a lactium product (such as Biotics Research De-Stress) helps to lower high cortisol, reduce anxiety and help with insomnia.

Additional pyroluria support if needed

It is well known that pyroluria symptoms are made worse in times of heightened stress. If you are on protocol for pyroluria, additional zinc and vitamin B6/P5P is likely going to be needed short-term too.

Essential oils

Essential oils like lavender and citrus are wonderful for the stress, anxiety and sleepless nights. An animal study reports that passively inhaling orange essential oil could potentially reduce PTSD symptoms in humans

 

Some other considerations include the following once things start to get back to some kind of normal:

I would recommend a similar approach for any natural disaster or in fact for any other traumatic event, always working individually with each person.  

If you have found some approach to be particularly useful for you please do share it.

And if you have any connections for getting this information into the hands of public health officials and non-profits offering aid please let me know. I feel that protocols similar to this one need to be made available to everyone subjected to a natural disaster.

I wish you and your families much healing and a speedy recovery.

Additional resources

I added these additional resources from colleagues after September 20, 2017:

If you have links to additional useful resources please let me know and I’ll add them.

Tryptophan for the worry-in-your-head and ruminating type of anxiety

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Today I’m going to review some tryptophan products for the worry-in-your-head and ruminating type of anxiety, and share some additional resources for you (including details of how to set up an account in my new online store with Fullscript, plus a special offer).

The other symptoms we see with low serotonin are: panic attacks and phobias, lack of confidence, depression, negativity, imposter syndrome, PMS, irritability, anger issues, insomnia and afternoon/evening cravings.

This blog covers how to do an amino acid trial and has the low serotonin questionnaire, the precautions and what I mean by targeted individual amino acids.

Lidtke is the only brand of tryptophan that I recommend simply because I see it work so well and because of quality issues with tryptophan in the past. Here are the Lidtke tryptophan products I recommend:

  • Lidtke Tryptophan 500mg (this is ideal for doing a targeted trial, opened; it doesn’t taste very good and if a client needs to continue taking it this way we have them mix it with inositol or even glutamine powder)
  • Lidtke Tryptophan Complete (see below for when this one may work well)
  • Lidtke Chewable Tryptophan (this is also good for doing a trial and if lower doses are better; it’s also wonderful for children)

Here are some additional resources for you:

Anxiety: when to use GABA and tryptophan and how much to use

When you have anxiety it can be confusing trying to figure out the root cause. I like to start by assessing for low GABA and low serotonin because when you address these with targeted individual amino acids you typically see results right away and feel hopeful (and now have time to look for other root causes like gluten issues, high cortisol, gut issues, dietary changes etc).

But there may still be some confusion about when to use GABA and when to use tryptophan and how much of each of these amino acids to use. Read more here.

Tryptophan for PMS: premenstrual dysphoria, mood swings, tension, and irritability

In a study published in 1999, A placebo-controlled clinical trial of L-tryptophan in premenstrual dysphoria, tryptophan was found to reduce symptoms of PMS when used in the luteal phase or second half of the cycle (i.e. after ovulation)

This is very typical when I’m working with someone with PMS and anxiety and other mood symptoms. It typically takes 2 to 3 cycles for an amino acid like tryptophan to have an impact on PMS itself. But it does typically start to work right away on the less severe anxiety and mood symptoms that may also be a factor during the rest of the month. Read more here. 

Tryptophan 500mg or Tryptophan Complete (by Lidtke)?

I like to have my clients do a trial of the amino acids so they can find the ideal dose for their needs and right now I still feel this would still be the best approach to take – using 500mg tryptophan. Once you have figured out you do well with tryptophan-only product and have your dose, then consider reducing it slightly after about 2-3 weeks and adding in additional Tryptophan Complete. Read more here.

The blog has many other posts on tryptophan and serotonin and simply use the “search” function to find them.

The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and taking the amino acid supplements:

There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.

You can find the tryptophan products and the others I recommend here on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements

I’ve recently switched to using Fullscript for the fulfillment of the professional grade supplements I use with my one on one clients and with those in my group programs. You order through Fullscript and they ship directly to you.

We’re offering a one-time discount of 20% off all purchases until the end of September. You will need to set up an account with Fullscript (details are at the end of the supplements blog. If you already have an account and have made a purchase I hope you simply enjoy this content.

If you had an account with Emerson/Wellevate, apologies for any confusion but we’re recommending everyone transitions over to Fullscript. Look out for a separate email from me on this.

Stay tuned for more updates and product reviews from now through the end of September. I’ll be sending a product review email each Wednesday.

If you have questions please post them below or on the supplements blog

GABA and tryptophan for pain and anxiety in Parkinson’s disease?

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Last week I blogged about my recent back injury and how acupuncture boosts GABA to reduce back pain and how oral GABA further reduces the pain. Both these interventions have helped me so much and I’m doing so much better.

I love the feedback I receive in the blog comments and the great questions – which get to help the person asking the question and everyone else reading the blog and comments. So thank you if you comment!

I received this lovely feedback about GABA and anxiety, and a question about Parkinson’s disease (on the above blog) and want to share it and my response here so you and families with a loved one with Parkinson’s disease will also have access to this information:

I have loved reading your articles for a long time and listen to you whenever you are on a summit. I have learned a lot. GABA definitely helps me to relax, reduce my monkey mind and sleep better.

My mom has Parkinson’s disease and is very stiff and tight. She hurts often, especially her back. She also has afternoon anxiety, some call it “sundowners”. Can she take GABA with carbidopa-levidopa and blood pressure meds? She needs some kind of help!

Thank you in advance for any suggestions you might have to give her any quality of life as right now it is not good and the doctors offer no suggestions beyond possibly more prescriptions.

I responded saying how glad I was to hear GABA helps her to relax, reduces her monkey mind and also helps her to sleep better and how sorry I was to hear about her mom’s stiffness, pain and anxiety.

I posted this regarding the stiffness and back pain: share this paper with your doctor and get his/her approval to do a trial of GABA – Parkinson’s Disease and Neurodegeneration: GABA-Collapse Hypothesis:

the original description of Parkinson’s disease (PD) as due to the selective damage of dopaminergic neurons in the mesencephalon should be updated into the concept of a severe multisystemic neurodegenerative disorder of the nervous system, whose clinical symptoms reflect the localization and progression of the most advanced GABA pathology. A future and more complete therapeutic approach to PD should be aimed first at slowing (or stopping) the progression of Ca(2+)/GABA functional decline.

I have worked with a few people with Parkinson’s disease and GABA has been very helpful for the stiffness and pain, the physical anxiety, easing some of their tremors and helping with insomnia. I always do a trial so we know how much the individual will need.

For someone on blood pressure medication I’d start with a GABA-only product or GABA-theanine product rather than GABA Calm which does contain tyrosine.

I posted this regarding the “sundowners” question: I’d share this with your doctor and get the approval to do a trial of tryptophan – Sundown Syndrome in Persons with Dementia: An Update

sundown syndrome is characterized by the emergence or increment of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, confusion, anxiety, and aggressiveness in late afternoon, in the evening, or at night.

Although this paper refers to dementia, these symptoms also happen to be classic low serotonin symptoms that typically respond really well to tryptophan. The paper mentions melatonin as an intervention but since tryptophan converts to melatonin I’d start with tryptophan (based on doing a trial) and then consider adding melatonin too if needed.

I shared a few more resources on Parkinson’s disease:

I also shared this amazing and inspiring video created by physical therapist Anicea Gunlock, on how using music while gait training can be beneficial for those suffering from Parkinsons’s disease

You read more about this music approach Anicea Gunlock used with her patient here.

The amino acids GABA and tryptophan can often be used in conjunction with all of the above approaches and often provide immediate relief for anxiety, pain, agitation and insomnia while some of the other root causes are being addressed.

I’ve recently updated the Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements blog with some of my favorite GABA and tryptophan products mentioned above. You’ll also see the amino acid questionnaire and amino acid precautions on this blog.

Instead of only considering the amino acids for someone whose primary issue is anxiety, I’d like you to start thinking about using the amino acids for anyone who has a medical diagnosis – such as autism, cancer, ALS, Parkinson’s disease, MS, Alzheimer’s disease or anything else – and who also happens to suffer from anxiety.

Have you used GABA or tryptophan to ease stiff and tense muscles and pain in your Parksinson’s disease, for a family member or for a patient/client?

And have you used tryptophan for the low serotonin worry-type of anxiety, agitation and insomnia?

Vitamin C, autoimmunity, food sensitivities & visual processing: Chronic Headache & Migraine Summit

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Guest post by Erin Knight, FDN-P

Did you know that nearly 60% of migraineurs report suffering from anxiety as well? I didn’t. That was one of many surprising things I discovered interviewing functional medicine experts and clinicians with decades of experience helping people overcome their headaches and migraines at the root cause (you can listen in to these interviews here on the Chronic Headache and Migraine Summit)

As much as the high correlation between migraines and anxiety surprised me, I could quickly see some reasons for the connection. People with frequent headaches report that managing life around headaches and missing out on things places an incredible strain on relationships and career that is nearly as bad as the physical pain. In other words, the mental agony of being sidelined by severe headaches is worse than the pain itself and contributes to the stress we carry around each day. But I don’t have to tell you that.

Is this meal going to cause a headache today? Am I going to be able to make it to my daughter’s choir concert? Is my boss going to pass me up for that project because I’ve been out with migraines so many days this year? If you are like me, these questions are always top of mind – creating a vicious circle between worrying – headaches – and more stress.

While it may seem quite obvious that there is this worrying and fear that migraineurs carry around with them each day, you may be surprised to learn from the experts speaking at the Chronic Headache and Migraine Summit, that there are many underlying root causes that can lead to both anxiety and headaches at a biological level. Some of these include:

  • Poor absorption of nutrients such as magnesium
  • Leaky gut and inflammation in the digestive tract that impacts the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and hormones like estrogen
  • Emotional trauma in childhood (which is linked to a staggering increase in chronic conditions such migraines, autoimmune diseases, obesity and chronic fatigue 

The good news is that there are real solutions to improve your health at a foundational level that can drastically improve or even resolve both headaches/migraines and anxiety at the root cause.

The experts in the Chronic Headache and Migraine Summit talk both about what has helped their clients recover their health as well as natural, simple ways to reduce the pain and intensity of headaches quickly and at home so you can go on with your life.

If you know you experience headaches due to weather changes, sinus stuffiness, neck tension, classic migraine or monthly hormonal changes – there are different relief techniques to employ for each. For example, Jay Davidson (featured on Day 4) highlights 3 tricks for clearing pressure out of your head when you feel a thunderstorm headache coming on – and they work in minutes! My favorite is to dab frankincense essential oil with your fingertips along the hairline in your neck. I can feel drainage start immediately with this simple technique!

If you think you’ve tried it all and been through the gamut of herbal and homeopathic remedies – I promise you will learn something that surprises you and makes a difference in your journey.

5 things I learned about hosting the Chronic Headache and Migraine Summit that might surprise you too:

  • There are many superstar supplements that can help people with different types of migraines beyond the typical riboflavin and magnesium citrate – for example, Vitamin C, different forms of magnesium, 5-HTP or tryptophan, and glutathione.
  • Migraines are being reclassified as an autoimmune disease. One autoimmune disease that frequently leads to migraines (and anxiety and miscarriages) is the clotting disease called Antiphospholipid Syndrome (featured on day 7 in Trudy Scott’s interview)
  • Food sensitivities may be more important than avoiding trigger foods
  • There is a visual processing disorder that affects 15% of the population and is simple to correct.
  • Toxicity from air and water pollution causes different types of chronic headaches and can be easily identified and reversed.

We are so thrilled to be able to offer this first-of-its-kind resource for people who want to stop managing their headaches, stop watching life pass them by from the sidelines and find natural relief options that really work. Register and start watching here

Feel free to share something that surprises YOU from the talks in the comments below.

Migraines, anxiety, depression and gluten: on the Chronic Headache & Migraine Summit

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The goal of a 2015 Russian study titled Gluten Migraine, was to study the prevalence of migraine among patients with celiac disease and to assess the efficacy of a gluten-free diet in its treatment. There were 200 celiac disease (CD) patients and the

CD group had migraine syndrome four times more often than the control group. The attacks were more frequent in CD patients who were older than 50 years old.

The migraines disappeared in 25% of patients with migraines who were on the gluten free diet and the reduction in the intensity and/or frequency of attacks was observed in 38% of patients.

This is the study conclusion:

We revealed the clear association between migraine syndrome and CD and the high efficacy of gluten FREE diet in the treatment of migraine symptoms.”

I would suspect similar results if you have gluten sensitivity. And here is some gluten-migraine feedback from 4 different women in my community:

  • HUGE decrease in my migraines now that I eat more cleanly. I used to start to get headaches immediately upon eating gluten-y meals
  • I had them frequently from teenage years right up until my Celiac diagnosis in my thirties. Once gluten was gone so were the migraines
  • Stopping gluten stopped my migraines
  • My migraines always came from gluten and dairy

Of course there is also an anxiety-gluten and the depression-gluten connection so getting the gluten out of your diet will help with both anxiety and depression most of the time too.

I talk about all this on The Chronic Headache & Migraine Summit, which starts July 10th.

The other topic I cover is the autoimmune condition called Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) which is one of many possible contributing factors for both migraines and anxiety. Of course, with any autoimmune condition gluten removal is key.

I also cover low serotonin as one possible cause of migraines (and anxiety) and the use of tryptophan (instead of SSRIs). An amino acid like tryptophan or GABA also helps you break the gluten addiction so you don’t have to rely only on willpower!

The Chronic Headache & Migraine Summit will be online from July 10-17, 2017

Hosts of The Chronic Headache & Migraine Summit, Erin Knight, Corey Schuler and Marta Taylor, are familiar with headache pain and migraines; they’ve all experienced severe headache problems. They found functional medicine solutions, which they now share in their health practices each day. Discover in one week what they’ve spent years learning!

You can register for the summit here

Have you got questions or comments? Please post in the comment box below.