Depression-Free, Naturally

November 1, 1999
Larson, author of the bestselling Seven Weeks to Sobriety, believes that many doctors misdiagnose nutritional imbalances as psychological disorders. She argues that most people who are depressed, fatigued or addicted to food, cigarettes or alcohol suffer from a deficiency of vitamins or amino acids that is only exacerbated by drugs like Xanax, Prozac and lithium. Larson provides checklists of symptoms, possible disorders and corrective formulas along with simple but thorough explanations of how the biochemistry works. She plausibly links biochemical emotional problems with the gradual shift in the American diet over the past 60 years toward sugary, carbohydrate-laden and processed foods, which disturb the body's insulin production and deprive the brain of much needed vitamins and nutrients. The author urges readers to seek out doctors to run lab tests in order to identify possible deficiencies, blood-sugar abnormalities and food allergies. Occasionally, Larson's advice gets lost in her sales pitch for her Health Recovery Center in Minnesota ("The nutrients used at Health Recovery Center are the best quality we can find"). Still, anyone who has suffered from mental lapses, mood swings and stress will find plenty to mull over here. Author tour.