32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Results may not be typical, but my life is much brighter now-a-days..., January 25, 2012
I was always called the moody one in the family growing up, and when I turned 21 I was diagnosed with social anxiety and mood disorder, put on a laundry list of meds, and given a life sentence of never being able to function without taking the prescription drugs my doctor put me on. It wasn't until I began taking the medication, or more to the point given the label of "mentally ill" that my life really started to take a turn for the worse. I'll spare everyone the bitter details but let's just say for the next 5 years I was in a very very dark place. Then 2 1/2 years ago my mother, who is a social worker, brought me this book. A nice change from the bible material she would drop off every week, lol.
I read it cover to cover that night. I won't say I saw the light, or felt forever changed but I will say it was the first step in convincing myself that I wasn't completely helpless and there were things within my control that I could do to get myself out of this deep dark hole I had dug for the previous five years.
I took notes, followed the steps, and meticulously researched every supplement the author suggested. I eventually decided on L-Tyrosine
250 Grams N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine (NALT) Bulk Powder and 5-HTP
50 Grams 5 HTP Griffonia Seed Extract Bulk Powder, both for their immediate effect and low dosage requirements (i.e. a little lasted me a long time). My mood improved almost overnight, I was able to sleep again, I felt more relaxed around groups of people; life improved drastically.
I haven't taken prescription drugs nor have had any "episodes" for two year and counting. I don't know if the cause of this is because of what I learned in this book, the L-Tyrosine and 5-HTP I take daily, or the realization that I wasn't "broken". But whatever is was worked for me. Please hear me when I say I do not think prescription medications are a bad thing, and please do not take this as a suggestion to stop taking meds or avoid them altogether. I will say to investigate all your options, do your research, and decide with your loved one's what's best.
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101 of 124 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Information in this book saved my life, literally., July 25, 2010
In March of 2008 I had to let my insurance go. I am self employed and the cost had skyrocketed. As I knew the end was coming I tried to prepare by reading about and using holistic treatments as opposed to the five prescriptions that I was going to have to do without. I was diagnosed as severely clinically depressed in the late '90s. The very first prescription that I was ever given was one for 60mg., yes 60mg, of Prozac. The doctor(s) wanted to hospitalize me but I refused, opting instead to see the psychiatrist every other day....the first week was every day. I managed to get through this first year without killing myself and it is all just a blur. There were side effects to the drug that they "treated" with more drugs. I gained weight, lost weight, slept for 8 months, went through my entire life savings, etc., etc., you get the picture. I was a total mess. As time progressed I noticed that the drugs stopped working as effectively as they did in the beginning so I'd get switched.... I have it all written down somewhere but I think the last prescriptions I filled were for Wellbutrin & Zanyx.... plus sleeping pills.... I can not recall all of their names right now....I think I've blocked them out at this point because I simply do not need them or take them any longer.... and I feel SO SO SO much better than I ever did while on the drugs. Seriously, a million times better. I still have days that aren't pretty, just like I imagine everyone does, but I can manage those days by taking an extra dose of SAM-e or one extra tablet of 500mg. L-Tryptophan at night.
Another reviewer states it correctly here, this is not an overnight cure. However there are amino acids that even I felt better within one hour of taking them even while still a complete mess. I got The Mood Cure and The Diet Cure by Julia Ross and they both are invaluable to me. I learned so much from them about how things work in our bodies and what the cause and effect of what we put into our bodies is and what is happening when we are depressed or even when you have overwhelming urges to eat something like chocolate or carbs..... migraine headaches (which I have had) can be managed with the right combination of these amino acids, vitamins & minerals. I have never been anorexic or bulimic but those are also addressed and treatable in these books. Weight gain, weight loss, adrenal gland failure....it is all in these books. All completely treatable with the holistic means she tells you about in these books.
Dr. Ross spells it out beautifully in these books. You can see yourself and read about exactly what has happened to you right in these pages. It is such a wonderful experience to know that you can get better. I did. I promise you can as well. She is honest and says that she can not treat two things by holistic means alone, those are bi-polar disease and schizophrenia which Dr. Ross says must be treated by prescription medicine but can be greatly helped with holistic treatments in conjunction. With those two aside you can figure out how to treat your severe clinical depression like I did with a trial and error approach to the suggestions she makes in the books.
By the way, I really want to emphasize how important it is for you to take it extremely seriously how careful you are to get off of your prescription meds before you jump into "straight" holistics!! You could really crash and do serious harm to your psyche and also to your physical body if you are not careful. This is how I did it: I stayed on the meds while I learned to incorporate the aminos, etc. I would take a whole dose one day, 1/2 the next...I did this for one whole month. The second month I would do two days of 1/2 doses, then one whole....it took me several months, maybe 4, to completely get off of the prescription meds so please please be careful. You can have a severe set back if you just stop or stop too soon.
With that said I also incorporated the aminos into my day as I was weening off the scrips. One of the great things about natural treatments like amino acids is that once your body has been refueled and doesn't need any more, say 5-HTP, or L-tryptophan, then you will get a MILD headache so you'll know you don't need that any more. But keep it, because if you have a bad life experience (like a mate dying or a family member, etc.) then you can understandably need to use them again until your supply is built back up.
It took me until now from a start in March of '08, so 2.5 years, to be completely certain that I no longer need to take any of them! I still take a small (for me) dose of 500mg L-Tryptophan at night and occasionally I'll take a 200mg of SAM-e in the a.m. but for the most part I am strictly maintenance now....but the first year I was taking 6000mg, yes, six thousand mgs per day of L-Tryptophan, high grade pharm powder, plus L-tyrosine, and a few others. I feel that my adrenal gland was just completely shot and I know I was right because I am the living proof of it now. You will FEEL what is right for you as you try different suggested things in the book. Complete relief does not happen over night but enough relief to function can come within an hour of taking the right amino, just as they tell you in the book.
I've waited this long to review the books because I wanted to really get to the point where I feel "cured" and I do. I feel very well. My energy level is good, my moods are mostly even and level headed, I sleep very well and I have an appetite for wonderful healthy foods.
The only other thing I can tell you that I have used to get where I am now is Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF) and their opinions on whole foods & cod liver oil....invaluable. Also, they are big believers in all organic, including meat, and raw organic dairy. Which I also advocate.
So, good luck. My very best wishes for your improved health and happy life. I know it is possible. I'm living proof.
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