Mental Health: A New Approach

The first famous American psychiatrist was Dr. Benjamin Rush, a patriot. The first famous advocate was Dorothea Dix, a 19th century Massachusetts teacher. She reported the mistreatment of patients. Many were kept in jail.

Philippe Pinel

This French psychiatrist was against the use of chains to bind patients. The use of restraints continues to this day, but currently chemical restraints (drugs) are in high fashion.

Asylums

Dix advocated for asylums for the insane. Recently many of these asylums have been shut down for economic reasons. The states did not wish to pay for them. This process of deinstitutionalization was severely criticized by psychiatrist E. Fuller Torrey. He felt that it created homelessness for the mentally ill. My own view is that the state hospitals should have been imroved. None of them recognize orthomolecular treatment, which is much cheaper and safer than drugs or ECT (shock treatment).

Psychiatric Theory

Numerous studies have shown abnormalities in the brain in mental disease. These studies are lightly dismissed by radicals.

"In 1969 Linus Pauling coined the word "Orthomolecular" to denote the use of naturally occurring substances, particularly nutrients, in maintaining health and treating disease."

This quote is from the website www.orthomolecular.org.

"The key idea in orthomolecular medicine is that genetic factors are central not only to the physical characteristics of individuals, but also to their biochemical milieu. Biochemical pathways of the body have significant genetic variability and diseases such as atherosclerosis, cancer, schizophrenia or depression are associated with specific biochemical abnormalities which are causal or contributing factors of the illness."

This is another quote from the same website. The author of the quote is not known to me.

Pauling

"The methods principally used now for treating patients with mental disease are psychotherapy (psychoanalysis and related efforts to provide insight and to decrease environmental stress), chemotherapy (mainly with the use of powerful synthetic drugs, such as chlorpromazine, or powerful natural products from plants, such as reserpine), and convulsive shock therapy (electroconvulsive therapy, insulin coma therapy, pentylenetetrazol shock therapy). I have reached the conclusion that another general method of treatment, which may be called orthomolecular therapy, may be found to be of great value, and may turn out to be the best method of treatment for many patients." - Linus Pauling, Science, April 19, 1968, p. 265

One of the orthomolecular theories is that of brain allergies. In other words, not all problems are deficiencies. The brain can be allergic to various substances in the diet.

"The term "brain allergy" came into popular use several years ago to describe the phenomena of psychiatric symptoms related to substances in one's diet and environment. This paper will focus on the role of nutrition in brain allergies."

Tara Whitford, B.A.

Brain Allergies

"Psychiatry so often overlooks the impact of oral chemical input as a contributing factor to brain chemistry. This seems ironic since pharmaceuticals are intended to correct brain chemistry." Whitford

My own theory is that the brain is allergic to tryptophan in mental illness. But why is this the case? The reason is that tryptophan is already too high in the brain cells in mental illness.

"Good mental health depends on good nutrition. The brain is the organ of the mind and very much part of the body. Brain chemistry functions on neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, and hormones made from building blocks such as amino acids and cholesterol."

Whitford

The above quotes from the Canadian scientist are from the Journal of Orthomolecular Medicine.

"Many psychiatric disorders are not confined to the mind but are accompanied by a host of physical complaints such as indigestion, fatigue and headache. Even the psychoactive medications used to treat mental disorders have physical side effects such as dry mouth, weight gain, and tremor. As mental symptoms do not occur in isolation, so should treatment not be limited. It is the holistic health practitioner who will offer treatment in accordance with the mindbody unity and ultimately promote real recovery." Whitford

My view is that Whitford was correct.

Tryptophan

"Interestingly, insulin has the effect of favoring tryptophan entering the brain, promoting serotonin production." Whitford

This observation may expalin why a lot of sugar aggravates mental illness. Eating sugar cause the release of insulin, which pumps tryptophan into the brain.

Conclusions

Mental disease is caused by abnormal brain metabolism. More research needs to be done on this complex subject, but we have many of the answers already. My theory is that a diet low in tryptophan and restricting sugar may help control mental illness. This diet is low in protein, high in fiber, and low in fat. The diet consists of plant foods. Animal products are forbidden. It is a vegan diet.

This treatment is much cheaper than other treatments. In fact, the treatment saves money because animal products are more expensive than plants and plant products. Hospitals would save money on this diet. Individuals would also save money. Candy is no good because it has too much sugar. Cake is also no good. Fruits, vegetables, and grains are good.

References

1. Pert C: Molecules of Emotion. New York, NY, Scribner. 1997.

2. Pfeiffer C: Mental & Elemental Nutrients. New Canaan, Connecticut, Keats Publishing, Inc. 1975.