The Mood Cure
by Julia Ross · first published 2003
78% recommend22% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Practical, nutrition-focused guide to mood through amino acids and supplements, with a self-help approach for identifying which type fits you; suits readers wanting a simpler start than dense neuroscience books.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
We're in a bad mood epidemic, but Julia Ross's plan provides a natural cure. Drawing on thirty years of experience, she presents breakthrough solutions to overcoming depression, anxiety, irritability, stress, and other negative emotional states that are diminishing the quality of our lives. Her comprehensive program is based on the use of four mood- building amino acids and other surprisingly potent nutrient supplements, plus a diet rich in good-mood foods such as protein, healthy fat, and certain key vegetables. Including an individualized mood-type questionnaire, The Mood Cure has all the to
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
…loaded with great info regarding nutrition and how it affects your brain. It is truly life changing information. He also had a podcast called Broken Brain that is worth checking out. Julia Ross' the Mood Cure is good too, the not as detailed (tho that can be good if you are feeling overwhelmed).
on “Long-Awaited Study Results on Vitamin D and Fish Oil Supplements” ↗I had been feeling a little blue the past few months. I didn't want to take an anti-depressant (too heavy and too many side effects). I read this book : http://www.amazon.com/The-Mood-Cure-Program-Emotions-Today/d... She basically advocates for the supplements 5htp and St John's Wort taken three times a day (empty stomach ideally). Her theory is that a lot of our depressive moods are…
on “Surviving Anxiety” ↗Sensitivity to noise is common among highly intelligent people. You would almost certainly benefit from the book The Mood Cure by Julia Ross. https://www.moodcure.com/ But I bet you will benefit more from getting out of the box you're stuck in now. You've allowed yourself to get hemmed in by one or more false assumptions about…
on “I am burned out while still in learning phase” ↗In short, I would recommend supplementing with L-Tryptophan and DL-Phenylalanine. Tryptophan before bed, and DLPA first thing in the AM. To understand why I recommend these things, read the book "The Mood Cure" by Julia Ross.
on “Happiness May Lie in Our Relationships” ↗Do you only recommend prescription drugs? I'm asking because dietary supplements have reportedly also worked for mood disorders. See e.g. the book of Julia Ross, "The Mood Cure".
on “Married to someone with anxiety” ↗…most important levers; 1) a steady regimen of well-scheduled exercises and injury-preventing recovery work, 2) a well-scheduled nutritionally balanced diet free of inflammatory products. Julia Ross’s The Mood Cure goes into specifics for the latter, for example sufficient L-Tryptophan is important for a feeling of well-being. I think scheduling is key because stress increases with energy unpredictability.
on “Anxious brains redirect emotion regulation” ↗A good story is Rich Roll’s Finding Ultra. Or a good technical read on nutrition is Julia Ross’s The Mood Cure. But I read about 50 non fiction books cover to cover each year, and learning about your health is a big area, made harder by the reality that for every good book on the topic there are 19 others that…
on “The average persons metabolism doesn't decline until 60” ↗…have a positive effect, but you can get a step or three closer to the root of the problem by supplementing amino acids. A relative who's an engineer has had a great experience with it via the book The Mood Cure, which is a self-help approach that helps you figure out which of four types of amino acids you're short of. He gave us a copy and I needed all four (other members of my family needed between one and…
on “Ask HN: My brain refuses to think, what should I do?” ↗I've spent lots of time studying neurotransmitters and their relationship with various mental illnesses and amino acids. It has been my understanding for a while now (from the book 'The Mood Cure' by Julia Ross) that too much of a neurotransmitter can have the same symptoms as too little. That book also seemed to indicate that dopamine and serotonin have an antagonistic relationship with each…
on “Individuals with social phobia have too much serotonin” ↗…anxiety I woke up with every day was gone within 5 minutes. I started taking Tyrosine every day, and I haven't had an anxiety/depression ever since. I found out much later that some depression books (The Mood Cure, Tyrosine for Depression) were already talking about this long ago. Wish I had found out before even going to the doctor! I also discovered that Rhodiola is extremely effective against psychosis and…
on “Ask HN: Beating depression with or without anti-depressants?” ↗