LOVER
Brain Chemistry Type Diet
The Brain Chemistry Plan

This is a synopsis of the Diet, Daily Supplements, and Interventions in times of trouble for the Guardian Brain Chemistry Type, as detailed in The Brain Chemistry Plan: The personalized nutritional prescription for balancing mood, relieving stress, and conquering depression, by Michael Lesser, M.D.

Information in the following tables has been extracted for personal use from Lesser's work (NY: Perigee; 2003: 294-7; 303; 309; passim). All material presented here has been checked and rechecked to ensure consistency with the book. Given the complexity of this schema, however, it is strongly recommended that the reader obtain and study the full text of The Brain Chemistry Plan, which contains a great deal of additional information required to make an informed decision regarding diet; lifestyle choices; vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and related supplementation.

To keep your brain chemistry in balance and be the best Lover possible, follow the diet laid out here. The better balanced you are, and the longer you've been in balance, the more your body will be able to handle deviations [e.g., anxiety]. But early on, it is advisable to stick closely to the diet. The lists of food choices ... [are] not meant to be complete. Rather, [they indicate] the best and the worst foods for your type. If a particular food [for a given] category isn't mentioned one way or the other [below], it is fine to include it. (pp.294-5)

The Lover diet:

5-7 small meals a day
5-7 servings of protein
7-11 [½ c] servings of vegetables
2-3 servings of fruit
3-5 [½ c] servings [of] whole grains or whole grain products...

Food	Best Choices	Good Choices	Avoid
The Lover Diet
Protein 5-7 servings	Animal: eggs beef lamb dairy products yogurt milk cottage cheese halibut herring salmon chicken turkey Vegetarian: beans (especially lima, navy, garbanzo, black, and pinto) lentils soybeans soybean products (like tofu) nuts (especially cashews, almonds, pistachios, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, and pecans) walnuts seeds (especially sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame)	Animal: liver and organ meats tuna (canned) Vegetarian: peanuts peanut butter	shellfish
Vegetables 7-11 servings	eggplant tomatoes asparagus avocados parsley peas peppers (green and red)	alfalfa sprouts corn mushrooms broccoli Brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower green leafy vegetables (especially Swiss chard, collards, mustard greens, kale, and spinach) potatoes onions pumpkin sweet potatoes winter squash
Fruit 2-3 servings	cherries pineapples plums citrus fruit (especially oranges and grapefruit)	apricots bananas berries (especially strawberries) grapes guava kiwi mangoes melons (especially cantaloupe) papaya	dried fruit fruit juices (except fresh-squeezed orange and grapefruit)
Whole Grains 3-5 servings	brown rice corn, stone ground	whole grain wheat products (including breads and cereals) whole oats and oatmeal enriched cereals	white flour white rice pasta (except whole grain pasta)
Sweeteners	maple syrup honey		white sugar chocolate
Beverages	chamomile tea ginseng tea milk	cocoa, sweetened with honey or maple syrup	caffeinated drinks (including coffee, sodas, and diet sodas)
Condiments and Seasonings	brewer's yeast butter cream unrefined and cold pressed oils: olive wheat germ soybean corn sunflower safflower sesame peanut
Source: Michael Lesser MD, The Brain Chemistry Plan. Berkley Trade (2003:296-297) Chapters \| Barnes and Noble \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.ca

CAUTION:
The following material regarding vitamin, mineral, amino acid and other dietary supplements is presented for purposes of information only, and is in no way intended to supersede advice from a qualified health care professional. Unless you have in-depth knowledge of these supplements and know what you are doing, it is strongly recommended that you consult your pharmacist or physician before attempting to medicate yourself. The Brain Chemistry Plan describes each supplement, its actions, uses, and contraindications - all of which are beyond the scope of this synopsis.

Responses to vitamin and mineral supplements can be highly idiosyncratic. In elevated dosage, for example, niacin (nicotinic acid) causes histamine release, resulting in cutaneous vasodilatation and increased blood flow, with symptoms of flushing, itching and tingling sensations, an increase in skin temperature, and increased motility of the stomach. These effects are transient, usually occurring a few minutes after ingestion and lasting up to an hour. Adverse reactions may include severe generalized flushing, decreased glucose tolerance, activation of peptic ulcers, abnormalities of hepatic function tests, jaundice, gastrointestinal disorders, dry skin, keratosis nigricans, pruritis, hyperuricemia, toxic amblyopia, hypotension and transient headache. When properly used, however, in conjunction with a high-protein diet, niacin is extremely effective.

If I had to choose only one vitamin [in] my repertoire for improving mood or guarding against the blues, [niacin] is the one I'd probably pick. Michael Lesser, MD (2003:71)

Vitamin A: 25,000 IU 5 days a week (natural, from fish liver oil)
B Complex: containing 50-100 mg of each B vitamin
Thiamine (vitamin B1): 100 mg
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6): 50-100 mg
Niacin (vitamin B3): 100-3,000 mg (3 g)
Vitamin C: 1,000 mg (1 g) 3-4 times a day
Vitamin E: 200 IU for every 20 years of your life (natural mixed tocopherols)
Calcium: 1,000 mg
Magnesium: 400 mg

Several organic factors can cause, exacerbate, or maintain anxiety, and as many as possible should be ruled out before deciding on treatment. These factors include:

Migraines
Copper excess/zinc deficiency
Caffeine
Caffeine withdrawal
Anemia
Hyperthyroidism
Vitamin deficiencies (especially
[vitamin B1] Thiamin,
vitamin B12 [Cobalamin],
[vitamin B3] Niacin)
Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
Withdrawal from alcohol or drugs (including amphetamines and cocaine, as well as caffeine)
Sympathomimetic agents, like ephedra
Heavy metal poisoning (especially mercury, arsenic, and lead)
Other psychiatric disorders (including depression, mania, and schizophrenia)
Cardiac conditions
Adrenal dysfunction
Hyperparathyroidism
Vestibular dysfunction
Seizure disorders
Pheochromocytoma

Another common cause of anxiety not shown in above list (p.229):
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD)

Refined foods
White flour
Sugar, especially white
Caffeine and other stimulants
Nicotine
Alcohol (p.292)

Intervention	Daily Dose
Amino Acids
Tryptophan	1-9 g a day (500-1,500 mg at bedtime for insomnia)
5-HTP (an alternative to tryptophan)	100 mg 1-3 times a day
Glutamine	500 mg 4 times a day
Herbs
Kava	70 mg 1-3 times a day
Valerian	3-4 cups of tea a day
Chamomile	3-4 cups of tea a day
Passionflower	1-2 cups of tea a day
St. John's Wort	300 mg (0.3 percent hypericin) 1-4 times a day
Ginseng	3-4 cups of tea a day

Did you know that you can find benzodiazepines - which are used as tranquilizing drugs that commonly combat anxiety - in many common foods? You'd have to eat more than humanly possible at any given time to get the equivalent of one dose of Valium. But you might try emphasizing these foods in your diet to get some benefits.

Lentils
Soybeans
Rice
Corn
Cherries
Mushrooms (p.293)

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