Spring Body Blitz Week 3
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Sat, Mar 27, 2010 @ 01:20 PM
You've made it through week 2 of the Body Blitz. If you're just starting the book now, or if you've been sick and haven't made it in to your classes, no problem. It's never too late. Start now.
Lots of you have done food diaries this week. Was it helpful? Did it help you make changes or give you information on what you need to do? For those who made significant changes, do you feel better or worse? Let me know!
Let's recap our reading from last week:
Identification of your hormonal phase:
- Normal: estrogen and progesterone normal levels in normal sequence
- PMS: normal estrogen, low progesterone
- Perimenopause: erratic high estrogen not following normal highs and lows, low progesterone
- Menopause/hysterectomy: low estrogen, no progesterone
Knowing your hormonal phase helps you understand changes in mood, energy level, personality, appetite and more. Blood and saliva hormone testing is useful in combination with monitoring your symptoms. If you test, be sure to do it on the correct day of your cycle if you have one. It's best to work with a practitioner on testing and supplementing. Twin Cities resources were given in a prior blog.
Don't forget testosterone and DHEA. If you use testosterone, be aware that high dose testosterone is not a good idea. You may feel great at first, and as time passes, testosterone turns into estrogen, which can bring back negative symptoms. Important for men too. Measure estrogen levels if you supplement with testosterone (men too). Do not supplement DHEA without monitoring your levels. It's sold over the counter and can cause problems if not used correctly.
Identify your Emotional Type
1. Revved up and anxious (useful aminos)
- 5-HPT
- L-theanine
- GABA
- L-tryptophan
- L-taurine
2. I Can't Get Off the Couch- L-phenylalanine
- L-tyrosine
3. Combination
- Start with calming (5-Htp, GABA, etc) for 1-2 weeks
- Once you sleep better and feel more calm, start the L-phenylalanine/L-tyrosine "wake up and alert" formula.
Precautions if you have:
- Hypertension and/or migraines: avoid L-tyrosine/L-phenylalanine
- Overactive thyroid (Graves), PKU or melanoma do NOT take L-tyrosine, DL or L-phenylalanine
- Asthma or severe depression: avoid melatonin
- Bipolar: avoid L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-glutamine
- If you have cancer, serious physical illness, severe liver or kidney problems, ulcers, pregnant or nursing, schizophrenia or other mental illness, or you are taking medications for mood problems, especially MAO inhibitors or more than one SSRI, consult a knowledgeable practitioner before taking ANY amino acids on your own.
Lots more information on aminos and neurotransmitters in the books The Diet Cure and The Mood Cure by author Julia Ross.You'll learn more about L-glutamine and food cravings and DL phenylalanine for increasing endorphins and reducing pain. Lots more detail
You can easily start using aminos on your own. You'l need to pay close attention to how you respond to them to learn the proper timing and dosages for you. Take aminos on an empty stomach (30 minutes before eating). They compete with other proteins (in your diet) to get to your brain. You're targeting the brain with these aminos.
Use Mia's troubleshooting on page 111.
Action Plan for Week 3:
- Read pages 113-135 in Female Brain Gone Insane. You'll continue learning about aminos and about how a good diet can improve your neurotransmitters.
- Watch video on Vitamin D by Dr. Mercola (next blog).
- Get your vitamin D level checked and make a plan to increase your level if necessary.
- Stay on track with your exercise and dietary changes. Evaluate how your plan went last week, make adjustments, and plan your week 3.