Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/307386
Page 20 | Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysHealthAndNutrition.com nervous, irritable, and unable to sleep. You'll spike your dopamine and strain both your GABA and serotonin as they try to calm you down. Amino Acids: Protein- Building Neurotransmitters Protein and its building blocks: amino acids are precursors to neurotransmitters. The chart below shows which amino acids are necessary to increase the production of a specific neurotransmitter. The production of the neurotransmitters can be directly affected by amino acids in your food. However, the chemical composition of food is complex. Food that supports specific neurotransmitters also contain other aminos. For example, turkey which is high in tryptophan – the primary building block for serotonin – also contains the amino acid that is needed to produce dopamine. Eggs which provide a terrific boost for acetylcholine, have a glutamine component that helps support GABA. This is one of the reasons foods take a long time to have their effect and often need to work along with supplements. Supplements operate on the biochemical level: they initiate reactions, provide energy, help to break down substances, or aid in restoring a depleted element. It is no surprise that they can alter the four biochemical natures. Chromium, rhodiola, and thiamine help to build dopamine, for example: manganese, lipoic acid, and huperzine A address acetylcholine; inositol, B vitamins, and branched-chain aminos are GABA-related; and vitamin B6, St. John's Wort, and fish oils are used for serotonin enhancement. Lifestyle When we talk about changing out lifestyles, we usually are referring to slowing down our hectic schedules or becoming more physically active. These changes are a simple way to restore and maintain a balanced nature. They provide the means for the brain to replenish itself during the day as well as at night. The most pervasive lifestyle issue is stress. Every job has a certain amount of stress associated with it, including unrealistic deadlines, under compensation, deadly monotony, or friction with supervisors or coworkers. But stress has its positive side. Moderate amounts of stress cause the body to produce dopamine which gives us the energy to perform, to get things done without procrastinations, to plan, to work hard, and to achieve. Each of us needs to find what activities that will reduce stress. Like diet, changes in lifestyle take time to affect the brain chemistry. Environment Though you might not see a difference overnight, you may be amazed how significantly your overall health changes once you remove harmful environmental influences from you daily life. Numerous studies have proven beyond a doubt that lead decreases GABA, cadmium in cigarette smoke decreases dopamine, exposure to the light from fluorescent bulbs and the aluminum in cookware or drinking water decreases acetylcholine, and pesticides decrease serotonin. By changing your environment, you're enhancing the best properties of the Edge Effect, often with little effort. Which Nature Are You? Your nature defines you. Specifically, your image brain chemistry directly affects your memory, attention, personality and physical health. It is important to identify both your dominant nature and possible biochemical deficiencies. Deficiencies are the direct causes of many medical problems. Knowing how to restore either your dominant or secondary natures is the way to begin regaining your edge. By balancing them all, you will reach the full Edge Effect. Neurotransmitter Amino Acid Needed to Produce It Dopamine Tyrosine Acetylchonline Phosphatidyl Serine Acetyl-L-Carnitine GABA Glutamine Serotonin Tryptophan