The Trim Tab
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The Trim Tab
April, 2011 Volume 1, No. 1 |
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What’s A Trim Tab?
Who’s the Alliance?
Research Roundup:
ADHD
Acupuncture
Yoga
Nutrition
Yeah Walnuts!
Featured Member:
Pati Reiss, HHC, “The Holistic Gourmet”
Featured Recipe:
Pati’s Protein Sprinkles
Honored Elder:
Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD “The Father of Pyroluria”
Contact Us
Alliance Committees
One of visionary inventor Buckminster Fuller’s favorite metaphors was the image of the trim tab, a very small surface attached to the rudder of an ocean liner that can change the movement of the ship with minimum effort on the part of the captain. We in the Alliance are determined to be that trim tab for our industry. That’s why we took the name Trim Tab for the Alliance’s free bi-monthly newsletter.
The Alliance for Addiction Solutions was founded in 2007 as an international nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting individualized biochemical balancing of the addicted brain and body using nutritional and other pharmaceutical-free methods.
We also support research; provide education to health professionals, policy makers, and the public; certify recovery programs; and offer practitioner referrals. Our members live in 19 American states and across the globe, including Canada, England, Sweden, Scotland, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Australia.
Benefits of membership
- Monthly free teleseminar for members only, bimonthly Trim Tab Newsletter
- Free referral page on our website for members only
- Free advertising of member programs on our website calendar page
- Discounted advertising inside the newsletter
- Discounted entrance to Alliance-sponsored training sessions
- And networking opportunities through online members-only groups to enhance your treatment program’s integrative methods of client brain repair.
Find us online at www.allianceforaddictionsolutions.org
ADHD
Upside to ADHD- more creative!
Young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more creative problem solvers compared with those who don’t have ADHD, according to a recent study at the University of Michigan.
(2011, March 17). Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder score high in creativity. ScienceDaily.
Downside to ADHD-more drug abuse
UCLA researchers reviewed more than two dozen studies and found boys and girls with ADHD are up to three times more likely than those not diagnosed with ADHD to be involved in abuse of legal and illegal substances as teens and adults.
University of California - Los Angeles (2011, February 12). Kids with ADHD much more likely to develop substance abuse problems as they age, study finds. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 20, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2011/02/110211153931.htm
(For more on using nutrition for ADHD see the work of Charles Gant, MD, PhD and Mary Ann Block, DO.
Randomized trials show needles do help relieve low back pain.
The University of Sydney in Australia reviewed 26 randomized controlled trials of multiple treatments for low back pain and found acupuncture, interdisciplinary rehabilitation, exercise, spinal manipulation, and cognitive behavioral therapy were cost effective for subacute or chronic low back pain.
Lin CW, Haas M, Maher CG, Machado LA, van Tulder MW; 13 January 2011; Eur Spine J.
Acupuncture works for head, neck, arthritis pain. South Korean researchers found acupuncture particularly useful for migraines, neck disorders, tension headaches, and osteoarthritis according to Cochrane Reviews studies of acupuncture for any kind of pain.
Lee MS, et al; Chin J Integr Med. 2011 Mar;17(3):187-9. Epub 2011 Feb 27.
(For more information on acupuncture for addiction treatment see National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) at http://www.acudetox.com.
Yoga helps mentally ill read faces.
Schizophrenic patients stabilized on medication received yoga, exercise, or nothing and were evaluated at baseline, 2nd month, and 4th month for their facial emotion recognition deficits. Statistically significant improvement in symptoms occurred in the yoga group but not the other two groups, with maximum improvement at 2 months that persisted at the end of 4 months.
Behere RV, et al; Effect of yoga therapy on facial emotion recognition deficits, symptoms and functioning in patients with schizophrenia; ActaPsychiatr Scand. 2011 Feb;123(2):147-53. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2010.01605.x. Epub 2010 Sep 16.
Yoga helps with eating disorders.
Yoga can be used effectively in both residential and outpatient programs for clients with eating disorders. One author from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, describes how to avoid misuses and enhance the benefits of yoga in these settings. This is one of several papers published by the same author on this topic.
L. Douglass, Yoga as an intervention in the treatment of eating disorders: does it help? Eating Disorders; 2009 Mar-Apr; 17(2):126-39.
The effect of yoga techniques of detoxification including breath control, relaxation, meditation, diet, chanting, and postures, are evaluated in conjunction with counseling and group process and found to be a positive motivator.
Lohman, R. Yoga techniques applicable within drug and alcohol rehabilitation programmes.
Therapeutic Communities. 20(1):61-71. 1999.
(For more information on yoga for addiction treatment see http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/679)
Nutrition linked to mental illness.
Mental disorders affect as many as 26% of the American public. This study reviews the connection between lack of specific nutrients and development of mental disorders. The report includes amino acids, omega 3 fatty acids, and other nutrients commonly used by Alliance members. The paper encourages psychiatrists to overcome common noncompliance problems by learning which supplements at what doses provide the best results for their patients with the fewest side effects.
Lakhan, SE and Vieira, KF. Nutritional therapies for mental disorders.Nutr. J. 2008. Jan 21:7:2
CoQ10 reduces toxicity of stimulants.
The neurotoxic effects of cocaine and methamphetamine including reduction in dopamine were mitigated in mice brains by providing the animals with CoQ10. The researchers work in the Department of Pharmacology at the School of Medicine, University of North Dakota. Klongpanichapak, S. et al. Attenuation of cocaine and methamphetamine neurotoxicity by coenzymeQ10. Neurochem Res. 2006 Mar.31(3):303-11.
(For more information on nutrition for addiction treatment see http://www.allianceforaddictionsolutions.org/referral-directory)
Raw walnuts are one of Mother Nature’s healthiest prepackaged foods.
A handful has almost twice as many antioxidants as any other nut and enough protein to sub for meat. It’s also high in bowel-cleansing fiber and the oil is healthy for the heart. As few as 7 walnuts a day provides enough antioxidants to help protect you from oxidation damage that can cause disease.
American Chemical Society (2011, March 28). Walnuts are top nut for heart-healthy antioxidants. ScienceDaily.
"If you lose the fear of fear nothing can control you."
- CC Nuckols, PhD
Meet new friends, help the Alliance grow, and make a difference worldwide. Our work is done through small committees working independently and reporting in at monthly Board of Directors meetings. Which committee appeals to you? We welcome your participation!
1. Website/Newsletter: Are you good in graphic design? Tell the webmaster what to do to update our site, and help create the bi-monthly newsletter. reubencarolyn@gmail.com
2. Membership: Greet new members, handle issues related to joining and renewing: reubencarolyn@gmail.com
3. Fundraising: Find money for programs, administration, scholarships. LianneAudette, L.Ac., Chair. lianneaudette@sbcglobal.net
4. Teleconference: Find presenters for monthly educational teleconferences. Holly Beardsley, MSW, Chair. hbconsulting@sbcglobal.net
5. Media/Outreach: Are you a good writer? Respond to online articles, write letters to editors and reporters, write op/ed pieces for newspapers, and help create a media package to publicize us as the go-to organization for quotes about pharmaceutical-free brain repair. reubencarolyn@gmail.com
FOR MEMBERS ONLY!
Free Monthly Teleconference: April 20, 2011
8-9:30am Pacific Daylight Time
Celiac Disease and Addictive Disorders
How to diagnose gluten intolerance. Why is gluten such a problem for so many people? How is intolerance related to addictions? Speaker is James Croxton, MA, emeritus professor of Physiologic Psychology, member Orthomolecular Medical Association, NAMI.
Free Monthly Teleconference: May 19th, 2011
8-9:30am Pacific Daylight Time
Detoxification of liver, organs of elimination, and endocrine system plus emotional and metaphysical issues.
David Freud, grandson of Sigmund and author of The Healing Gift: Exploring the Remarkable World of a Medical Intuitive.
We're looking for new additions to the Board of Directors!
Interested? Contact us for more information: reubencarolyn@gmail.com
First in a series of profiles of Alliance members and committee chairpersons
Pati Reiss, HHC, The Holistic Gourmet
"We work on ourselves in order to help others, but also we help others in order to work on ourselves."
- Pema Chödrön
In the process of healing her son, Pati became The Holistic Gourmet and was certified as a holistic health counselor. She currently chairs the Alliance’s Nutrition/Cooking Committee. But, the path to these achievements was no yellow brick road and along the way Pati nearly lost her life.
Mathew’s nose ran, he had headaches, and he socked other kids. He was five years old. His teachers wanted his mother, Pati Reiss, to put him on Ritalin. Pati refused and instead asked a naturopathic physician for help changing Matthew’s behavior and improving his health. The doctor recommended she take the boy off dyes, chemicals, dairy, and gluten and put him on high quality nutritious food. That meant making vegetables look and taste good. Thanks to her own experimentation in the kitchen and, later, her training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition,Pati was able to convince her son and his younger sister to eat more nutritious food.
Pati’s father was a chiropractor and he and her mother raised their children holistically, with food from their garden at family meals. Then when Pati was ten her father was killed and her mother descended into alcoholism. As an adolescent and young adult Pati, too, reached for the numbing of pain that alcohol provided, and added marijuana. Those were the days she was The Holistic Addict, making sure her pot was pesticide-free.
A near-death experience in a hospital emergency room pushed Pati into recovery at the same treatment program in Salt Lake City, Utah where she now teaches nutrition education and meditation. At first she followed her intuition, picking dandelions off the lawn to add to the iceberg lettuce provided by the program.
Pati also asked her sister to bring her protein shakes and green shakes. The green shakes made from green nutritious “superfoods” and the protein shakes made with hemp seeds, chia seeds, and goji berries corrected her biochemistry, allowing her to manage the stress that was triggering her use. The nutrients also helped clear her mind so she could read health books and listen to her counselors (see recipe for protein sprinkles in this issue).
The books that were most helpful included The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, MFT, Seven Weeks to Sobriety by Joan Mathews Larson, PhD, and End Your Addiction Now by Charles Gant, MD, PhD. She took an advanced training course with Julia in California and added recommended supplements to her dietary regimen. “It was the food and nutrition that pulled me out of addiction hell,” she recalls.
“Today,” she says, “I teach classes and I counsel people in a private practice on holistic health and recovery using Skype. I can see people all over the country online. I am passionate about nutrition because it saved my life and am living proof that food and holistic recovery work. My nephew’s friends have asked him, ‘Dude, what drug is your aunt on?’ They couldn’t believe I could be this happy and funny without being on a drug!” The fact is, I’m naturally happy and now I can feel it since my neurotransmitters are balanced.’ That’s the story of The Holistic Gourmet: Bringing Health and Pleasure to the Planet One Plate At A Time. Read more from Pati at www.patireiss.comand email her at pati@patireiss.com if you would like to join her Alliance Nutrition/Cooking committee in preparing online nutrition information for the public.
Photo by Allen Green
A sprinkle here a sprinkle there…a nice tasty blend of protein to add to your salad, toast, rice, avocado, sautéed kale …the list is endless.
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (Candida albicans-free)
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1-2 tbs kelp granules
1 tsp mineral sea salt (optional)
Mix all ingredients together…store in fridge in a glass jar. For those who have a slower digestive system…you can grind up the hemp seeds and sesame seeds for more absorption. A coffee grinder works well!
Carl Pfeiffer, MD, PhD
In this issue we feature the late Carl Pfeiffer, MD. PhD as the first Honored Elder in our series of important pioneers in the field of neuronutrition.
"For every drug that benefits a patient, there is a natural substance which can achieve the same effect."
- Pfeiffer's Law
Carl C. Pfeiffer, MD, PhD was famous for discovering many important links between specific nutritional deficiencies and schizophrenia, migraine headaches, allergies, autism and other conditions resistant to drug therapy. His book, The Schizophrenias: Yours and Mine (published in 1970, now out of print) was one of the first to detail the nutritional approach to treating mental illness.
In Mental and Elemental Nutrients: A Physician’s Guide to Nutrition and Health Care (Keats, 1975, $13.95), Pfeiffer described the effects of a deficiency in both zinc and vitamin B-6, which he termed "pyroluria." He connected this double deficiency with a specific form of schizophrenia. and was able to eliminate symptoms of this schizophrenia by providing the patient twice a day with up to 50 mg of zinc and up to 1,000 milligrams of vitamin B-6. In contrast, the recommended daily dietary allowance, a sort of baseline figure for health, is only 2.2 milligrams.
What sets nutritional pioneers apart is a willingness to pursue what works for an individual's biochemistry regardless of the norm for the entire population. One of Pfeiffer's female patients, for example, required 5,000 mg of B-6 the week prior to her menstrual period to offset acute, almost psychotic, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) that otherwise appeared monthly.
Pfeiffer found some ordinary people who have an extra need for vitamin B-6 - people who almost invariably report that they never remember their dreams. They would only remember dreams when taking approximately 25-50 milligrams of vitamin B-6 per day.
Other nutritional conditions connected to mental illness that this prolific scientist discovered include histadelia, an excess of histamine (a normally occurring substance in the blood which is involved in healing injured tissues), and histapenia, a deficiency of histamine caused by excess copper in body tissues.
In 1936 Pfeiffer was a medical student at the University of Chicago. Each day on his way to school he passed a structure on Ellis Avenue with the words "Chicago Home for Incurables" chipped in stone above the doorway. "How much better," he later wrote in Mental and Elemental Nutrients, "to have a temporary sign, whose date would be changed each year, stating 'Untreatable by Methods Available in 1936.' After all, " he pointed out, "sulfa drugs (the Western world's first general antibiotics) were introduced in 1937."
On November 18, 1988, Pfeiffer died suddenly at the Princeton Brain Bio Center in Skillman, New Jersey. He had founded the Center, which is located just outside of Princeton, and was its director since 1972.
During his 16-year directorship at the Center Pfeiffer saw as many as 1,000 patients a year. They trooped to the Center for orthomolecular treatment of many intractable conditions, including unrelenting fatigue, depression, allergies, arthritis, alcoholism and senility, as well as mental illness. During his career, he authored six books and more than 280 scientific papers on nutrition and mental disease.
Pfeiffer had also been, at various times, director of the Bureau of Research at the New Jersey Neuropsychiatric Institute, director of the Division of Basic Health Sciences at Emory University Medical School, and chairman of the pharmacology department at the University of Illinois. At the time of his death he was 80 years old.
For Carl Pfeiffer, as long as the inner workings of the human body could be measured, dysfunctions of those workings could be manipulated and, in many cases, repaired. It took both careful observation and stubborn courage to do research and write books for the benefit of the general public when scientific opinion was so radically committed to drug-based solutions to mental and physical illness. Members of the Alliance, including Board Member LianneAudette, L.Ac.who worked side by side with Pfeiffer for eight years, are proud participants in Pfeiffer’s honorable legacy.
(Click here for Dr. Pfeiffer’s complete bibliography. Next issue, a living legend, Joan Mathews-Larson, PhD)
AAS, 2230 Loma Vista Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825, Tel: 916-214-0607, Fax: 916-483-1311
info@allianceforaddictionsolutions.org
