YEARS OF FATIGUE VANISHED IN A WEEK

   A 53 year old woman tells us how she was exhausted and began to gain weight.  She discovered the culprit and turned her life around in a matter of days.  At first she had blamed it on a recently ended relationship.  Her memory was affected and one day when grocery shopping she forgot her PIN number and had to return home without her groceries.  She contacted a naturopathic doctor, Renee Young, ND, who ran tests that determined she had very low levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates energy, sleep, mood, thought processes and appetite including serotonin and GABA were also out of whack too.  The tests revealed that antidepressants had depleted her dopamine levels.  More neurotransmitters were needed and omega-3s were also needed and she used freshly ground flax seed and fish oil.  Chea seed from health stores is similar to flax seed.  She also began taking AdreCor, which contains tyrosine, an amino acid that can boost dopamine stores and the supplement 5-HTP to increase serotonin.  Moderate exercises were recommended and she began walking each day.

   After just a week the patient said, “My fog cleared and my energy began to rebound.  Within two months the anti-depressants that I had been on for eight years were no longer necessary and my sugar cravings were gone and those unnecessary 12 pounds of weight had disappeared.  I got my energy back and my life back too.  According to J.C. Carnahan, M.D. (a physician in Boulder, Colorado) neurotransmitter imbalances affects 75 percent of women.  Virtually all of them go undiagnosed since most doctors don’t feel the need since problems of weight gain are usually attributed to a side effect of getting older and sometimes are linked to prolonged stress during holidays, or to problems with the thyroid, adrenal glands and sex hormones.  A urine test can help diagnose a neurotransmitter problem.

    Eating more cheese, eggs, fish, chicken and other tyrosine foods can help restore dopamine levels and boost energy.  Upping your take of omega-3a can boost your mood.  Dr. Carnahan often recommends Balance D ($29.00 for 60 capsules at iHerb.com), which has all four.  Limiting aspartame-taming foods and diet sodas can help as well.  Aspartame contains phenylalanine, but consuming too much can deplete levels.  These changes made early in your life is encouraging as well as rewarding since “creeping up” weight gain can affect the heart.