Depression-Free for Life: An All-Natural, 5-step Plan To Reclaim Your Zest For Living (Lynn Sonberg Books) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Mark Mayell (Author) "By the time I was in the eight grade I' read all the books in the school library on anything to do with medicine..." (more)
Key Phrases: little serotonin activity, personal biochemistry, little dopamine activity, United States, Supplement Resources, Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Cousens, a psychiatrist and family therapist, and Mayell, former editor-in-chief of Natural Health magazine, offer a drug-free program for alleviating the symptoms of mild to chronic depression by treating the underlying physiological imbalances that are major factors in the disease. With a myriad of depression remedies on the market, from prescription drugs to herbs, and a rapidly increasing number of people seeking relief from depression, Cousens contends that his program incorporates the best of both conventional and holistic techniques. Cousens's five-step program aims to restore balance to disrupted biochemical processes by increasing the intake of mood-boosting amino acids, vitamin supplements and essential fatty acids and by creating a diet and lifestyle that promote physical and mental well-being. Cousens also discusses the reasons why women are more prone to depression, the limitations of antidepressants and how the suggestions in this book can help people break addictions, including alcoholism and related disorders (ADHD, eating disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder). Anyone who has struggled with depression and found little relief with prescription drugs (Cousens reports that some studies indicate that people who receive no treatment fare as well as those who receive counseling and drugs) will find a lot to consider in this far-reaching look at what remains a debilitating element of many lives. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Cousens is a psychiatrist and holistic physician who founded and directs the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Patagonia, AZ, which is dedicated to "the integration and renewal of body, mind, and spirit." Here he presents, in enormous and sometimes tedious detail, his "drug-free" regimen for treating depression. His premise is that all depressions are different, having multiple causes, including physical ones. He proposes an individualized five-step program for modulating brain neurochemistry in order to combat depression. This requires taking mood-enhancing amino acids, optimizing dietary supplements and essential fatty acids, eating a diet suitable for mental health, and living a lifestyle that includes exercise, a social network, a sense of humor, and relaxation. The information Cousens presents about depression, its causes and manifestations, and the need for dietary supplementation is plausible; however, it is questionable whether there is sufficient and compelling evidence in support of his program. Furthermore, customizing his directives for any given individual is complicated, and many consumers may find it difficult, if not impossible, to do so without a physician's supervision. Recommended for large alternative medicine collections.
-Linda M.G. Katz, Florence A. Moore Lib. of Medicine, MCP Hahnemann Univ., Philadelphia
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (March 22, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688165001
• ISBN-13: 978-0688165000
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #126,658 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

115 of 117 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Survival in the Great Depression, June 15, 2000

By	David Gottner (Bellevue, WA United States) - See all my reviews

In this book, Gabriel Cousens discusses his five-step program for treating depression -- without Prozac.

The book starts by defining depression and discussing the major types (such as major depression, manic depression, and some others), talks about how anti-depressant drugs such as prozac & MAO inhibitors work, then launches into Gabriel Cousens' five-step approach.

The fivefold approach is basically: <1> amino acid precursors are used to build up the brain chemistry, then <2> he adds vitamin/mineral supplements, <3> essential fatty acids, <4> dietary advice, and <5> lifestyle factors (touch, support, spiritual connection, counseling, etc.) By far, the main emphasis on the book is about the biochemistry of depression, as the last section on the lifestyle factors (<5>) is very brief in relation to the rest of the information in the book.

Along the way, there are checkpoints (that easily stand out, for reference) which you will need to determine which supplements will likely be the most effective for your style of depression.

Some of the stuff in this book is truly new material. The information on optimizing the diet for your specific metabolism (slow or fast oxidizer) is new, and since blood sugar is a major component in overcomming depression, it is very welcome. This is the most mainstream of Gabriel's books, so he does not spend any time going over the benefits of raw foods, and though he does suggest a mostly vegetarian diet, he does not stress it very heavily here. Nevertheless, the diet section has lots of vegan raw-food recipes that are used at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center, for those who are interested in that lifestyle.

I understood after reading this book why I feel much less depressed during the day when I have sunflower seed meal for breakfast - it has to do with my fast oxidation metabolism combined with the seratonin boosting properties of sunflower seeds. (I discovered that I felt better eating sunflower seeds before I read the book, so it was a pleasure to read the book to discover why that meal is so effective for me.)

52 of 53 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diet, Nutrients, and mindset, but more in depth, June 22, 2004

By	Marcus T. Brody (Tampa Bay, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Depression-Free for Life: A Physician's All-Natural, 5-Step Plan (Paperback)

Many depression books throughout history have focused on your mindset, thoughts you think, and patterns of behavior. Not this one. Gabriel Cousens touched on something very interesting, which I totally agree with, having suffered from depression myself. The foods you choose to eat have a profound impact on your moods. Certain foods, eaten regularly enough could precipitate panic attacks, sleepiness, withdrawal, etc.

Gabriel breaks it down into two categories... fast and slow oxidizers, when speaking of the proper diet. There's a questionairre, which makes it very easy for you to discover which type you are.

There is also a section on nutrients for the brain, nervous system, and those that may elevated the mood. However, much like the diet, there are certain nutrients that will help certain kind of imbalances, and not others. Might sound complicated, but the information is thorough enough to make anyone understand it.

Last but not least, there are recommendations to help overcome self destructive behavior, negative thinking, and patterns of laziness.

All in all, quite an excellent book, most certainly one of the best I've ever read on depression. Sure, your depression problem may not be an imbalance due to improper food choices, but then again, it could be the ONLY problem, as it was for myself.

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YOU CAN BE HEALED OF ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION NATURALLY, June 2, 2001

By	lenore daguanno "ldaguanno" (Grosse pte. farms, mi United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Depression-Free for Life: A Physician's All-Natural, 5-Step Plan (Paperback)

Reading this book and being treated by Dr. Cousens have been a blessing to me. After suffering from anxiety and depression for almost 10 years, I came upon this book and was intrigued with how natural it all seemed. After being treated by Dr. Cousens via phone consultations the past 8 months, I am convinced. THIS MAN IS A TRUE HEALER. With amino acid supplements, I can now sleep soundly and the anxiety is virtually GONE. This book has truly changed my life for the better and I want to spread the following message to the world: NO ONE SUFFERS FROM A "PROZAC" DEFICIENCY. If you're searching for a natural alternative to drugs, this is the way to go.