Serotonin For Serenity - By Dr Braverman

1
Serotonin For Serenity By Dr. Braverman
2
Serotonin is the brain chemical that allows you
to experience pleasure and feel good about
yourself. When your serotonin levels are strong,
you feel alive and excited about taking on new
challenges. At night, serotonin allows the brain
to recharge and rebalance as you experience deep,
restful sleep, so every morning you begin with a
fresh start. That's why I equate balanced
serotonin to complete serenity. And when your
brain is balanced and refreshed, you'll even find
it a whole lot easier to lose weight.
3
Yet as we get older, serotonin levels begin to
wane. You may notice that your mood is the first
aspect of your overall health that has changed.
While dopamine and GABA deficiencies affect our
emotional life, serotonin deficiencies are
markedly different, and even more pronounced.
Instead of feeling fatigued (low dopamine) or
anxious (low GABA), without serotonin we don't
feel much of anything. That's why the
stereotypical aged person is often portrayed as
crotchety or withdrawn. This is an example of
someone who has burned out their serotonin.
4
Both sleep disturbances and depression are
associated with low serotonin levels, and
therefore influence weight gain. Emotional
upheavals can subliminally lead you to
self-medicate through food, fostering specific
food cravings that when satisfied, can
temporarily change your mood. For example, have
you ever told anyone "I eat when I'm depressed"?
If so, think about the foods you choose when you
are in a funk. If you are low in serotonin,
chances are very good that you are a "salty
snack" binger simple carbs and salty foods
actually provide more energy to combat fatigue,
and actually help to release stored
serotonin. But even though highly salted carbs,
like potato chips, provide the lift you are
looking for, they don't provide the nutrition
your body desperately needs.
You can boost your serotonin levels in a variety
of healthy ways and become younger. You can learn
how to get out of a black mood without the help
of fattening foods so you can reverse your bad
and often dangerous eating habits. You can also
learn the tricks you need to get a better night's
sleep so your brain can rest, allowing you to
make better food choices the next day.
5

• Strategies to Create/Increase Serotonin
• TryptophanIf you are low in serotonin,
  tryptophan is vital because it induces the
  creation of this brain chemical. Tryptophan is an
  amino acid the brain and body needs, but cannot
  make on its own. The foods that are key to
  producing serotonin are those low-calorie foods
  that are high in tryptophan, such as avocados,
  eggs, or cottage cheese. Here's a list of foods
  containing significant amounts of this amino
  acid. Try to incorporate as many of these as
  possible into your diet each dayAvocado
• Chicken
• Chocolate(but stay away from unhealthy sugars)
• Cottage Cheese
• Duck
• Egg
• Granola
• Milk (whole)
• Rolled oats
• Pork
• Turkey
• Wheat germ
• Yogurt

6
SpicesWhile many spices can make your meals more
flavorful, specific spices will act as
antidepressants, naturally increasing your
serotonin levels. Good choices are saffron,
marjoram, peppermint, spearmint, dill, nutmeg,
licorice (anise), and turmeric. SupplementsMany
foods that are high in tryptophan do not provide
significant levels in diet-size portions. You
would have to eat a whole cup of granola to get
the levels you need. Another way to increase your
tryptophan and other serotonin-boosting nutrients
without adding calories is through vitamin and
mineral supplements.
7

• Consult your healthcare provider to see which of
  the following supplements may be appropriate for
  you. Some supplements can interfere with
  medications you might be taking - especially
  antidepressants.
• Vitamin D
• Melatonin
• 5-HTP
• Vitamin B6
• Fish oils
• Magnesium
• Sceletium tortuosum
• Fucoxanthin
• Acetyl-l-carnitine
• DHEA
• Phenylalanine
• SAMe
• Tryptophan
• Saint John's wort

8
Increasing low serotonin levels will cause you to
get more sleep which also helps restore your
internal chemistry (directly influencing two key
hormones ghrelin and leptin - you can read my
blogs on leptin for more information.). If you
would like further information, you can read my
book, YOUNGER (THINNER) YOU DIET - How
Understanding Your Brain Chemistry Can Help You
Lose Weight, Reverse Aging, and Fight Disease. Or
you can call to make an appointment with us
at PATH Medical. We include a brain "check-up" in
our exam, and then we can help you by devising a
protocol to balance your brain chemistry. Author
Bio Eric Braverman MD is a Summa Cum Laude and
Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brandeis University
and NYU Medical School, did brain research at
Harvard Medical School, and trained at an
affiliate of Yale Medical School. He is
acknowledged worldwide as an expert in
brain-based diagnosis and treatment, and he
lectures to and trains doctors in anti-aging
medicine.