The UltraMind Solution (23 page)

Well, he had no more need for reflux medication or inhalers for asthma. Those symptoms were gone. Without my instruction (and despite my advice to the contrary), he stopped all four of his psychiatric medications because he was sleeping fine, was no longer anxious or depressed, and had no more problems with concentration or attention.

The science of Functional Medicine is ready for the doctor’s office. It is possible for people to get to the root of their problems.

Asthma and reflux are not irreversible problems, but may be the result of food sensitivities to substances like gluten or dairy, or imbalances in the gut from parasites and yeast, or the product of a poor diet.

Similarly, depression (and other psychological issues like the ones Joe suffered) may be related to key nutritional factors, including sugar in the diet, and nutritional deficiencies such as folic acid, vitamin B
₁₂
, vitamin D, and omega-3 fats, as well as food sensitivities or gut problems—not a Lexapro deficiency.

With Joe, I once again found myself an accidental psychiatrist, witnessing remarkable transformations in patients by simply taking away the things that make them ill and giving them things that put them back in balance.

It is really that simple. The body’s intelligence for healing does the rest. This is the essence of the UltraMind Solution.

The Key to Mental Health and Brain Health

—————

The staple foods may not contain the same nutritive substances as in former times... Chemical fertilizers, by increasing the abundance of the crops without replacing all the exhausted elements of the soil, have indirectly contributed to change the nutritive value of cereal grains and of vegetables... They have, thus, contributed to the weakening of our body and our soul.

—
ALEXIS CARREL
,
Man the Unknown

Optimal nutrition is the most important factor in keeping your brain healthy. Feeding your brain is not something most of us know how to do. What you put in your mouth provides all the raw materials to build the structure of your brain cells and keep all the communications systems running coherently so you can think, emote, learn, and remember. You have to start with the right food, and enough of the right nutrients for the brain to function well.

The problem is that most of us (including doctors) know very little about nutrition and even less about how and why vitamins and minerals are so essential for brain function and health. To restore optimal brain function and health, you need to know the
why
, not just the
what
, of what you are doing.

I know that the nutritional science I present in this chapter may feel a little dense, but you can understand it. Once you do, it will completely alter your perception of the role of food and nutrients in your physical and mental health forever.

This background knowledge will help you take full advantage of
The UltraMind Solution.
If you know what is happening in the body, why it goes wrong, and how to fix it, you are much more likely to incorporate changes in your diet, behavior, and habits in the long run. And it just may motivate you to take your vitamins and essential omega-3 fats every day.

This chapter will focus on the most important aspects of nutrition in the context of your brain function.

In
chapter 4
, I explained the harmful effects of trans fats, high-fructose corn syrup and sugar, artificial sweeteners and food additives, as well as the dangers of hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, and heavy metals, in our food. I also reviewed the risks of caffeine and alcohol.

Common sense and scientific research both lead us to the conclusion that if we want healthy bodies and healthy brains we must put in the right raw materials: real, whole, local, fresh, unadulterated, unprocessed, and chemical-, hormone-, and antibiotic-free food.

There is
no
role for foreign molecules that interfere with our biology at every level. Enough said.

Let’s look at what we
should
be eating—the stuff of life.

In the remainder of this chapter I am going to focus on the ingredients most relevant to the epidemic of broken brains, of mood, behavior, attention, and memory disorders. We will focus on the role of the following in brain health:

1.
The essential fats

2.
The key essential amino acids, which come from protein

3.
Carbohydrates

4.
Vitamins and minerals

Special brain vitamins, including folate, B
₆
, B
₁₂
, and vitamin D

Special minerals, including magnesium, zinc, and selenium.

In Part IV, we will review many other special nutrients essential for healthy brain function that work specifically in different key systems, such as acetylL-carnitine, n-acetylcysteine, or coenzyme Q10. These become more essential under certain conditions of life, such as stress or toxicity or age.

Let’s start with fats.