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Mood Enhancers: The Roots of the Blues
Noradrenaline: Be RewardedThe neurotransmitter noradrenaline provides us with feelings of both motivation and pleasure. Derived from dopamine, noradrenaline is involved with positive stress states such as being in love, the thrill of music and dancing, and other exhilarating and stimulating pursuits. Some people inherit a gene that makes them deficient in these neurotransmitters, leaving them more prone to depression. They also crave stimulation from sugar, coffee, stress, and alcohol. With reward deficiency syndrome (RDS), people have a hard time feeling good, or "rewarded," under normal conditions. They can enhance their mood and motivation, and even reduce cravings for the addictive substances, by taking the precursor amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. These amino acids convert to dopamine with the help of vitamin cofactors such as vitamin B6 and folic acid. You don't have to have RDS to benefit from these nutrients, however. Many people are deficient for various reasons and feel better once levels are normalized.
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More on: Alternative Health Care
From NATURAL HIGHS: Supplements, Nutrition, and Mind/Body Techniques to Help You Feel Good by Hyla Cass and Patrick Holford. Copyright © Hyla Cass, M.D., and Patrick Holford. Used by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
To order this book visit www.penguin.com. Get a 15% discount with the coupon code FENPARENT.
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