Does your diet make you moody? Do you feel like you’re missing out on all the foods you like to eat? Doctors Judith Wurtman and Nina Frusztajer Marquis want to show you how to feel full and lose weight without the emotional roller coaster. They claim increasing serotonin will do the trick. In their book, The Serotonin Power Diet, they map out a twelve week plan to help you increase your serotonin levels, lose up to 2 pounds a week, and manage your emotions.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that triggers satiety and affects emotions. The amino acid tryptophan helps the body to produce it. A lack of serotonin may lead to mood swings, emotional eating, cravings, and other wellness issues. Those who have followed a low carb diet know that fulfilling cravings by frequent carb overloading leads to weight gain. These doctors suggest that controlling the quantity of carbs and regulating the times you eat them will curb your appetite. For most people, a serotonin spike is needed in the late afternoon and night hours. These are the times when cravings are high.
Do you remember these food items: pasta, bread, pretzels, and cereal? They’re just a few of the foods you can eat again; however, Wurtman and Marquis still want you to opt for wheat and whole grain foods when possible. Careful selection and moderation of carbs are recommended. According to them, fat free or low fat carbs should be consumed when serotonin levels are low or to prevent stuffing yourself. They also suggest eating protein earlier in the day because it inhibits the brain’s ability to produce serotonin.
Every expert has his or her own spin on the relationship between eating, feeling full, and weight gain. They often point out that your brain has to signal your body that you’re full. The Serotonin Power Diet provides a different view of what can be done to control the appetite center in the brain and improve erratic emotions. The results are weight loss and wellbeing.
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