Serotonin: The Mood Prescription

Serotonin is like the alternator in your car, recharging your brain and body so it is able to handle a new workload every day. The remaining 17% of the population are Artisans, defined by the neurotransmitter responsible for the Mind-Body connection.

Artisans are always in the moment, always seeking tangible, immediate results for their actions. Self-worth is perceived from short term accomplishment rather than long-range goal attainment. Artisans play at work, with tools and equipment or by conceiving new ways to do repetitive tasks. They usually have excellent hand-eye coordination. Artisans are intensely loyal, engage in passionate relationships, but avoid being tied down.

A serotonin deficiency will show up as diminished brain wave symmetry – there is a disconnect between the right and left sides, a breakdown in the mind-body connection. A depleted battery in your body has distinct signals, and there are many ways to recharge it.

Symptoms of Serotonin Deficiency:

• Physical – salt cravings, backache, headache, cold or clammy hands, shortness of breath, drug reactions, premature ejaculation, yawning, sleep disturbances.
• Psychological – impulsiveness, hyper vigilance, high pain/pleasure threshold.
• Memory Function – visual memory deficiency.
• Attention Issues – slow reactions, restlessness, lack of concentration.

Conditions/Diseases of Serotonin Deficiency:

• PMS, phobias, insomnia, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder.

Multi-Modal Treatment for Serotonin Deficiency:

• Diet – caffeine free herbal teas, cottage cheese, granola, oat flakes, Swiss cheese, lox, banana, salmon, turkey, Cornish hen, duck, pheasant, blue fish, mackerel, pork, beets, brown rice, avocado, baked or mashed potatoes, sunflower seeds.
• Vitamins/Supplements (ask your practitioner if any of the following might be a good option for you) – St. Johns Wort, fish oil, thiamine, niacinimide, folic acid, Vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, 5-Hydroxy-Tryptophan, melatoin, SAMe, VitaminB6

Lifestyle Recommendations – scheduled activities, increased future planning, introspection, deeper relationships, aerobic exerice.Feelings of serenity throughout the day, even when performing work tasks that others would consider dangerous, represent the Serotonin Edge Effect. Everything, from accomplishment on the job to connection to others to personal enjoyment is within your grasp.