106 Achieving pH Balance to Treat Specific Ailments
Hoffer included 1 to 2 g of B 1 and B 6 as well as magnesium, calcium,
manganese, and zinc.
Dr. Hans Selye, famous for his books on the physiological effects of
stress, believes progesterone, given its function in promoting a bal-
anced temperament, could ease the symptoms of schizophrenia.^6 It is
not surprising that in large quantities progesterone, which is known for
its calming effect, can act as an anesthetic.
Vitamin C, along with niacin, picks up the “garbage” in the blood,
while vitamin B 6 enables the schizophrenic to dream, an ability that is
lost as the disease worsens and the thought processes dry up. B 6 may
accomplish this by neutralizing the lactic acid that typically accumu-
lates in the blood of people with mental disorders. Anxiety causes the
buildup of lactic acid in the body because, like aerobic exercise, it uses
up oxygen. When there is not enough oxygen, energy has to be gener-
ated anaerobically, that is, without oxygen, the by-product of which is
lactic acid. By destroying excess lactic acid, vitamin B 6 has a calming
effect while also activating the dream structures in the subconscious.
Several other nutrients also reduce anxiety. The high alkaline content
of calcium and magnesium makes lactic acid physiologically inactive,
while vitamin E lowers anxiety levels by slowing the transmission of
anxiety impulses as they move between the amygdala (a primitive
brain structure involved in feelings of fear and aggression) and the
cortex. Vitamin E also blocks the action of porphyrins, the alien
chemical that causes disordered thoughts and bizarre behavior in the
schizophrenic. Zinc and calcium are two other nutrients that reduce
blood toxicity by lowering excessive levels of copper and lead, which
are toxic to brain cells.
It’s just as important to eat a metabolically appropriate and allergen-
free diet (see Chapter 2) as it is to take nutritional supplements if you
have a mental disorder. Mild brain disease, for example, occasional
depression or a mild obsessive-compulsive disorder, may be cured by
avoiding an allergy-causing food. People with all kinds of mental and
neurological disorders are particularly allergic to the proteins gluten
and alpha gliadin in wheat, rye, and barley, and often to the protein
in other grains as well. I believe that grains eaten during pregnancy
by mothers whose fetuses are allergic to wheat is the greatest single
cause of brain injuries that occur during the fetal stage of human
development. This agrees with the research of Dr. Chris M. Reading,