d, the rocks begin to show, and the previously submerged pain comes to the surface. We need to keep the levels topped off for a smooth surface, and a happy mind.
That's not the whole story, however. Taking too much of the wrong substances is just as damaging as failing to take the right ones, with sugar and stimulants topping the list of no-nos. You'll recall how blood-sugar imbalances, often related to excessive sugar, alcohol, or caffeine intake, can stimulate neurotransmitter release and a quick high. Not for long, though: the brain responds to an ongoing use of sugar, as with any drug, by downregulating, leaving you with insufficient feel-good chemicals. There's no doubt that stress, overuse of stimulants, and blood-sugar problems are a major contributor to low moods. Certain medications, including antihistamines, tranquilizers, sleeping pills, narcotics, and recreational drugs, can also interfere with your neurotransmitters, leading to depression.
How, then, do we take on the care and feeding of our brains? We need to start with the key neurotransmitters serotonin and noradrenaline if these aren't in balance, they can cause depression and low moods. Both antidepressant drugs and supplements aim to enhance their actions. In fact, a great deal of our information comes from the extensive pharmaceutical research done in the past few decades to develop new antidepressant medications.
Serotonin, triptophan, and noradrenaline have different roles in countering depression. Depression can be felt as extreme unhappiness or as a lack of drive or motivation, and people can feel more of one or the other, or a mixture of both. Using a psychological test called the Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale, a 1998 study found that a serotonin-enhancing drug had the most effect on self-image and mood, while noradrenaline was more involved in promoting motivation and drive. We will soon see that there are ways to attain these results without taking drugs.
More on: Alternative Health Care
From NATURAL HIGHS: Supplements, Nutrition, and Mind/Body Techniques to Help You Feel Good by Hyla Cass and Patrick Holford. Copyright © Hyla Cass, M.D., and Patrick Holford. Used by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
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