Authors of The Serotonin Power Diet
To recoup from the holidays, what you need most cannot be found at any
post-holiday sale. Although you might get some great deals on some
fantastic stuff, serotonin will leave you, and your credit card
account, in better shape.
Serotonin is a brain chemical with two important functions. First, it
balances your mood. This is why so many antidepressants, like Prozac,
and other mood stabilizers have their effect via serotonin. The other
important function of serotonin is to shut off your appetite. It is
appetite, not hunger, that leads you to eat when you’re bored,
stressed, or tempted by delicious foods around you. Appetite-induced
overeating, not hunger, can add extra pounds and make it difficult to
lose weight. And if you feel a post-holiday let-down, you’re exhausted,
or you’re feeling a bit down because of the dark days of winter, you’re
even more likely to overeat to soothe your emotions, your mood, or
both. Under these circumstances, few people opt for steamed vegetables
and broiled fish as they eat to comfort themselves. You’ve been there
before and most likely you’ve chosen high fat sweet or salty foods like
ice cream, potato chips, cookies, buttery mashed potatoes, pasta
alfredo, or donuts. Eat more than a few nibbles of these foods and
before you know it your weight is out of control. The good news is that
certain foods can cut your appetite and make you feel good because of
their effect on serotonin production. The key is to eat the right foods
at the right times in the right amounts to make the serotonin you need.
You may have seen serotonin or one of it's building blocks such as 5-HTP or tryptophan sold as supplements at a health food store, but don’t waste your money buying them. They will do nothing to get more serotonin into the brain. The only way to give your brain more serotonin is to eat sweet and starchy carbohydrates. (Of note is that the sugar in fruit, fructose, will NOT increase serotonin in your brain).
This is great news for anyone who wrongly believes that they should avoid carbohydrates because they’re either bad for you or they’ll make you gain weight. Eating carbohydrates sets off a series of biochemical reactions that allows the brain to make serotonin. The carbohydrates need to be fat free or low fat because fat slows the process of making serotonin. And too much dietary fat can make you feel sluggish. Also, in order for the brain to make serotonin, you must eat carbohydrates without protein. While protein is an important component of a healthy diet, it interferes with the brain’s ability to make serotonin.
What you need to do is simple: eat carbohydrates when serotonin levels are naturally lower and when you’re more susceptible to overeating. For nearly everyone, it is late afternoon and evening. That’s when we crave carbohydrates anyway and explains the long lines at Starbuck’s in the afternoons. Our clients are thrilled to learn they can have pretzels or fat free cookies as an afternoon snack and then dine on low fat carbohydrate dishes like pasta marinara sprinkled with parmesan cheese or a large bowl of butternut squash soup with crusty bread followed by fat free hot chocolate and vanilla wafers. This afternoon and evening comfort food soothes the appetite and makes you feel good when otherwise you would suffer from cravings and a bad mood.
Make sure you have protein and, if you choose, fruit, in the early parts of the day. Then, when you need a serotonin boost, for example late in the afternoon, in the evening, or during periods of stress, eat fat free or low fat carbohydrates.
Before dinner, have a handful of pretzels or crackers. This will take the edge off your appetite. You’ve probably done something similar in a restaurant when the bread basket came. You munched on a few pieces and by the time your appetizer and entrée were served you weren’t nearly as hungry as when you placed your order. Next time, order two appetizers or just an entrée and eat some bread while you’re waiting to be served. At home, try a starchy meal like polenta with sautéed mushrooms and a dollop of sour cream for dinner to boost your evening serotonin. Or, if others at home want some meat, chicken, or fish for dinner, have a bite or two then save the rest of your portion for lunch the next day. Opt for lots of vegetables for good nutrients and wholesome starches like brown rice, sweet potatoes, and whole wheat bread or pasta.
Feeling calm and getting control of your eating will allow you to move beyond the holiday season with your own spirits restored and your weight in check. Serotonin is the gift that keeps on giving all year long.
Copyright © 2006 Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, and Nina Frusztajer Marquis, MD
Judith J. Wurtman, PhD, has been recognized worldwide for decades of pioneering research into the relationship of food, mood, brain, and appetite. Dr. Wurtman received her PhD in cell biology from MIT and took additional training as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in nutrition/obesity. The author of five books for the general public, she has written more than 40 peer-reviewed articles for professional publications.
Nina Frusztajer Marquis, MD, received her master's degree in nutrition from Columbia University and her medical degree from George Washington University. Her articles on weight, stress, and lifestyle have appeared in numerous publications. With Judith Wurtman, she founded the Adara Weight Loss Centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she lives, and in Boston, where Dr. Wurtman resides.
They are the authors of The Serotonin Power Diet: Use Your Brain's Natural Chemistry to Cut Cravings, Curb Emotional Overeating, and Lose Weight . Published by Rodale. January 2007; $24.95US/$31.00CAN; 1-59486-346-6.
For more information, please visit www.serotoninpowerdiet.com
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