and reduced altruism.^18 It’s easy to see how these traits
might reinforce feelings of depression, and even contribute
to violent tendencies. As a fascinating aside, bright light
exposure during such a treatment seems to attenuate some
of these effects, suggesting yet another method of ensuring
healthy serotonin expression: daily sunlight exposure.^19
Optimizing Serotonin
By this point, you are starting to understand how to keep
inflammation in your body to a minimum: avoiding sugars,
grains, and oxidized oils, while consuming ample plant
nutrients and fiber (we’ll cover more in the following
chapters before we put it all together in the Plan). If you’ve
already begun integrating these ideas into your lifestyle,
you’re on your way to optimizing your serotonin
expression. This is because inflammation may block
serotonin from being released by your neurons, as was
shown in research from Children’s Hospital Oakland
Research Institute (CHORI).^20 This perhaps explains why
depression caused by chronic inflammation is resistant to
traditional therapy methods, but can be treated by reducing
inflammation in the body. The CHORI researchers found
that the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acid EPA
facilitated normal serotonin release while DHA, which
supports membrane fluidity (discussed in chapter 2),
promoted healthy uptake into the postsynaptic cell.
As SSRI sales continue to skyrocket, this type of
research is increasingly important, providing strong
evidence that “low serotonin” may be the result of an