Natural Prozac: Learning to Release Your Body's Own Anti-Depressants

Scientifically proven and easy to follow, Dr Joel Robertson?s groundbreaking lifestyle program makes a significant advance in treating and overcoming depression and its debilitating effects without drugs. With more than 21 million people now using Prozac and other anti-depressants worldwide, this book comprises an enormous breakthrough: an all-natural method anyone can use to regain control of their physical and emotional health.Robertson, an expert in pharmacology and brain chemistry, has been using this method with remarkable success for more than twenty years. His approach uses the body?s own natural chemistry to restore the brain?s chemical balance and end the dangerous cycle of negative thought patterns and behaviour that cause depression to recur. With detailed instructions on developing a tailored program of diet and exercise, new techniques for understanding and breaking free of negative habits, and targeted exercises for burning up self-destructive chemicals. Natural Prozac gives every depression sufferer a new option.

Another book that seeks to help the depressed change their brain chemistry without medication, Natural Prozac divides such people into two types. "Satiation" types seek to boost their levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin to promote relaxation, calmness, and a sense of security, and often become uncomfortable in overly arousing situations. "Arousal" types, on the other hand, eat foods and participate in activities that boost norepinephrine and dopamine, neurotransmitters related to alertness, assertiveness, and aggression; such people would rather be anxious than bored. According to Robertson, one of the ways for each of these types of people to battle depression is to act against their instincts: when satiation types raise their "excitement" chemicals and arousal types raise their "calmness" chemicals, their brains come into better balance; while this may make them anxious at first, eventually they become tolerant of the higher levels. Robertson recommends a variety of methods for doing this--through diet, exercise, spiritual practices, and even music (songs by Bach raise serotonin, he says, while Springsteen's "Born to Run" boosts norepinephrine and dopamine). Although some readers may be uncomfortable with being pigeonholed into a category, those who agree that they fit one type or the other will find plenty of advice on what to do next.