ACTH: A hormone produced by the pituitary gland that stimulates the secretion of cortisone and other hormones by the adrenal gland. ACTH is also called adrenocorticotropin, corticotropin.

ADHD: Abbreviation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

ADHD Medication: Medication prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Common medications are Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall and Strattera.

ADRENAL: The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are the triangle-shaped endocrine gland that sit on top of the kidneys; their name indicates that position (ad-, "near" or "at" + -renes, "kidneys"). They are chiefly responsible for regulating the stress response through a chemical reaction. Adrenaline is a "fight or flight” hormone, and plays a central role in the short-term stress reaction. It is released from the adrenal glands when danger threatens or in an emergency. Cortisol is also produced in the adrenal gland. It is a vital hormone that is often referred to as the “stress hormone” as it is involved in the response to stress. It increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and can suppress the efficiency of the immune system.

AGITATION: Excitement or emotional disturbance.

ALDEHYDE OXIDASE SUBSTRATE: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

ALKALINE: Something that is alkaline contains an alkali or has a pH value of more than 7. Your body needs a balance between acid and alkali for good health. When your pH levels are too low, it means acid is too high in our bodies. Our bodies are alkaline by design and acid by function. Maintaining proper alkalinity is essential for life, health, and vitality. Simply put — an imbalance of alkalinity creates a condition favorable to the growth of bacteria, yeast and other unwanted organisms. All leading biochemists and medical physiologists have recognized pH (or the acid-alkaline balance) as the most important aspect of a balanced and healthy body.

AMINO ACID: Any of a large group of chemical compounds that join together in various ways to form different proteins that are necessary for all life.

AMINE: A chemical compound containing nitrogen. Amines are derived from ammonia. The name "amine" was derived from the word "ammonia." Nitrogen: a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is biologically important. It makes up nearly four fifths of the air around the earth, and is found in all living things. Nitrogen is a constituent of protein and is present in all living cells.

ANTIOXIDANT: Any substance that reduces oxidative damage (damage due to oxygen) such as that caused by free radicals. Here's how oxidation works. As oxygen interacts with cells of any type — an apple slice or, in your body, the cells lining your lungs or in a cut on your skin — oxidation occurs. This produces some type of change in those cells. They may die, such as with rotting fruit. In the case of cut skin, dead cells are replaced in time by fresh, new cells, resulting in a healed cut. Oxidation reaction can produce free radicals, which start chain reactions that damage cells. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radicals, and inhibit other oxidation reactions by being oxidized themselves. Well-known antioxidants include a number of enzymes and other substances such as vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene (which is converted to vitamin A) that are capable of counteracting the damaging effects of oxidation. Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that attack molecules by capturing electrons and thus modifying chemical structures.

Free radicals: are atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons. These unpaired electrons are usually highly reactive, so radicals are likely to take part in chemical reactions. When free radicals are on the attack, they don't just kill cells to acquire their missing molecule. The problem is free radicals often injure the cell, damaging the DNA, which creates the seed for disease. Free radicals trigger a damaging chain reaction. Free radicals are dangerous because they don't just damage one molecule. One free radical can set off a whole chain reaction. When a free radical oxidizes a fatty acid, it changes that fatty acid into a free radical, which then damages another fatty acid. It's a very rapid chain reaction.

ASSIMILATE: To take something in and make it part of oneself; absorb.

AUDIOGENIC SEIZURES: Seizures caused by loud sounds and noises.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM: That part of the nervous system specifically concerned with the involuntary, seemingly automatic, activities of organs, blood vessels, glands and a variety of other tissues in the body. The autonomic nervous system breaks down into two subordinate systems that work in conjunction with one another: the craniosacral and thoracolumbar. See Craniosacral and Thoracolumbar in glossary.

BASKET CASE: Someone not doing well emotionally, very nervous and upset.

BASAL METABOLIC RATE: Your basal metabolic rate is the rate at which your body uses energy when it is at rest.

BENZODIAZEPINE PROTRACTED WITHDRAWAL: Withdrawal effects from a benzodiazepine that have gone on longer than is normal.

BIOCHEMISTRY: The science dealing with the chemistry of plant and animal life.

BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER: A protective network of blood vessels and cells that filters blood flowing to the brain.

BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER (BBB)

A mechanism that controls the passage of substances from the blood into the cerobrospinal fluid ( a clear, colorless fluid that bathes the entire surface of the central nervous system and cushions the brain and spinal cord against concussion or violent changes of position) and thus into the brain and spinal cord.

cerebrospinal fluid

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) lets essential metabolites, such as oxygen and glucose, pass from the blood to the brain and central nervous system (CNS) but blocks most molecules that are more massive. This means that everything from hormones and neurotransmitters to viruses and bacteria are refused access to the brain by the BBB.

Key functions of the BBB are:

Protecting the brain from "foreign substances" (such as viruses and bacteria) in the blood that could injure the brain.
Shielding the brain from hormones and neurotransmitters in the rest of the body.
Maintaining a constant environment (homeostasis) for the brain.

BRAIN ZAPS: “Brain zaps" are a withdrawal symptom experienced during discontinuation (or reduction of dose) of SSRI and SNRI (see definition SSRI, SNRI in this glossary) antidepressant drugs. They may also be experienced while the person is actually taking the prescribed medication, and can continue for years after withdrawal from the medication.

The experience is hard to describe if you've never had one, but brain zaps basically feel like a sudden "jolt," or an electric shock, which is followed by a few minutes of light-headedness and disorientation. Physiologically, a "brain zap" is a wave-like electrical pulse that quickly travels across the surface of the brain. Brain zaps only occur when withdrawing from SSRI and SNRI antidepressants that have an extremely short elimination half-life; that is, they are more quickly metabolized by the liver and leave the general circulation faster than longer half-life antidepressants. This attribute of abruptness leaves the brain a relatively short time to adapt to a major neuron chemical change when the medication is stopped, and the symptoms may be caused by the brain's attempt at readjust.

Carbohydrate: All carbohydrates are made up from sugars. There are a number of different types of sugars but in the body all carbohydrate metabolism converts sugar to glucose, our body's preferred energy source. Glucose is the main sugar present in many foods but some contain different sugars, such as fructose in fruit, lactose in milk, as well as others. Most sugars are digested and absorbed and converted to glucose, some cannot be digested, and we call this fiber.

Complex Carbohydrate: What are complex carbohydrates?

Complex carbohydrates or starch are simply sugars bonded together to form a chain. Because they have fiber in them digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines.

For this reason digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides us with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored. Some examples of complex carbohydrates are vegetables, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals, and legumes.

Simple Carbohydrate: Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly. Many simple carbohydrates contain refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals. Examples include fruit juice, milk, honey, white bread, white rice, molasses and sugar.

CATCH 22: If you describe something as a catch 22 you mean it is an impossible situation because you cannot do one thing until you do another thing, but you cannot do the second thing until you do the first thing.

CELLULAR SUPPORT: Anything that helps and supports the cells at a cellular level.

CHANGE: To make or become different in some way.

CHEMISTRY: The chemistry of an organism is the chemical substances that make it up and the chemical reactions that go on inside of it.

CHLOROPHYLL: The green coloring matter in plants; sunlight causes it to change carbon dioxide and water into carbohydrates that are the food of the plant.

CIRCADIAN RYHTHMS: Pertaining to a period of about 24 hours. Applied especially to the rhythmic repetition of certain phenomena in living organisms at about the same time each day. Circadian rhythms are regular changes in mental and physical characteristics that occur in the course of a day (circadian is Latin for "around a day"). Most circadian rhythms are controlled by the body’s biological "clock.” Disruption to rhythms usually have a negative effect. Many travelers have experienced the condition known as jet lag, with its associated symptoms of fatigue, disorientation and insomnia. The rhythm is linked to the light-dark cycle. Light and dark cycles being daytime and night time and how they affect the body.

CIRCUMVENTRICULAR ORGAN: The circumventricular organs are regions of the brain where the blood-barrier barrier is weak. These regions allow substances to cross into brain tissue more freely and thereby allow the brain to monitor the makeup of the blood. See also Blood Brain Barrier for more information.

COGENTIN: A drug Benztropine mesylate: benzatropine mesilate; marketed as Cogentin). It is used in patients to reduce the side effects of antipsychotic treatment

COLD TURKEY: To stop taking drugs or alcohol without any gradient, stopping quickly or abruptly.

COMPOUND: is a substance of two or more elements.

COMPOUNDING PHARMACY: Pharmacy: is regarded as the science of compounding and dispensing medication; also, an establishment used for such purposes. Modern pharmaceutical practice includes the dispensing, identification, selection, and analysis of drugs. Compounding pharmacies are on the rise and physicians, medical institutions and patients are realizing more than ever the importance of tailoring an individuals medications to specifically meet their needs. A majority of the pharmacists that are going back to compounding are doing so for the love of the science and interest in the patients well being. Being able to be in the role of a problem solver opens the doors to creativity and genius.

CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID (CLA): Is an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid.

CONSTANT LEVEL: Is to maintain a level of a supplement in the body to a degree where it never drops below a certain point.

CONTRA: Contra means in opposition to; against.

CONTRASURVIVAL: Means opposition to or against survival.

CORTISOL: A hormone produced in the adrenal gland. It is a vital hormone that is often referred to as the "stress hormone" as it is involved in the response to stress. It increases blood pressure, blood sugar levels and can reduce the efficiency of the immune system. The synthetic form of cortisol is referred to as hydrocortisone.

CORTISOL LEVELS: Your levels of cortisol can be too high or too low each one causing problems within the body and the balance of hormones.

COUMADIN: Coumadin is an anticoagulant (blood thinner). It reduces the formation of blood clots. It works by blocking the synthesis of certain clotting factors. Without these clotting factors, blood clots are unable to form. Coumadin is used to prevent heart attacks, strokes, and blood clots in veins and arteries.

CRANIOSACRAL: Pertaining to the craniosacral system that part of the nervous system that is mainly concerned with handling the body’s everyday function of excreting waste products. Most active during sleep, it acts to slow heart rate and to stimulate the organs of the digestive system because the nerves of this system originate from the cranial (cranial meaning of the skull) and sacral regions (sacral meaning in the area of the sacrum, a bone at the lower end of the spine, forming the back portion of the pelvis).

CUMULATIVE EFFECT: If a series of events have a cumulative effect, each event makes the effect greater.

CYP PATHWAY: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs. For more information see intermediate metabolizer.

CYP 2D6: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

CYP 2C19: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

CYP 3A: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

DAILY JOURNAL: An account on which you write your daily activities.

DETOXIFICATION: The act of removing all the poisonous or harmful substances from something.

DEVIATION: Doing something that is different from what people consider to be normal or acceptable.

DISCONTINUATION SYMPTOMS: The side effects or reactions people get when stopping a drug.

DHA: (Docosahexanoic) Docosahexaenoic acid commonly known as DHA; it is an omega-3 essential fatty acid. Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that cannot be constructed within an organism from other components (generally all references are to humans) by any known chemical pathways; and therefore must be obtained from the diet. The term refers to those involved in biological processes, and not fatty acids which may just play a role as fuel.

DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) DNA contains the genetic information for the reproduction of life. DNA is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and some viruses. The main role of DNA molecules is the long-term storage of information. DNA is often compared to a set of blueprints or a recipe, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells, such as proteins. The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information.

DOUBLE-BLIND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS: Double-blind: Term used to described a study in which both the investigator or the participant are blind to (unaware of) the nature of the treatment the participant is receiving. Double-blind trials are thought to produce objective results, since the expectations of the researcher and the participant about the experimental treatment such as a drug do not affect the outcome.

DRUG/DRUG INTERACTION: The interaction between one drug and another drug and the effect it creates.

DRUG INSERTS: This material, called package inserts, provides information on the usage and risks of medications — including warnings, side effects, contraindications and interactions with other drugs. The FDA says it is concerned that the old format plus information overload mean that some of the information may not be getting through to doctors and consumers, resulting in thousands of "preventable adverse events" every year.

DRUG/SUPPLEMENT INTERACTIONS: The interaction between a drug and a supplement and the effect it creates.

ELECTROLYTE BALANCE: Electrolyte is a "medical/scientific" term for salts, specifically ions. The term electrolyte means that this ion is electrically-charged and moves to either a negative or positive electrode.

Electrolytes are important because they are what your cells (especially nerve, heart, muscle) use to maintain voltages across their cell membranes and to carry electrical impulses (nerve impulses, muscle contractions) across themselves and to other cells. Your kidneys work to keep the electrolyte concentrations in your blood constant despite changes in your body. For example, when you exercise heavily, you lose electrolytes in your sweat, particularly sodium and potassium. These electrolytes must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant.

Levels of electrolytes in your body can become too low or too high. That can happen when the amount of water in your body changes. Causes include some medicines, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating or kidney problems. Problems most often occur with levels of sodium, potassium or calcium.

ELECTRONICS: The branch of physics that deals with electrons in motion.

EMOTIONAL: Emotional means concerned with feelings and emotions.

ENDOCRINE: The endocrine system is the system of glands that produce hormones. Endocrine glands release hormones (chemical messengers) into the bloodstream to be transported to various organs and tissues throughout the body.

EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is an omega-3 fatty acid.

ESTROGEN: Estrogen is a female hormone produced by the ovaries. Estrogen deficiency can lead to osteoporosis (a condition in which your bones lose calcium and become more likely to break). Estrogen is produced primarily in the ovaries. Some estrogens are also produced in smaller amounts by other tissues such as the liver, adrenal glands, and the breasts. These secondary sources of estrogen are especially important in postmenopausal women.

EXACERBATE: If something exacerbates a problem, it makes it worse.

EXTENSIVE METABOLIZER: Approximately half of all Americans have genetic defects that affect how they process drugs. There are four different types of metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these categories for the variable pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is responsible for creating the enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through our bodies.) The easiest way to understand this is to picture a two lane highway. If you are the first type which is the norm, you would be an EXTENSIVE metabolizer. Both lanes of the highway are open and moving. Medications prescribed in normal doses will be metabolized by your body.

EXTREME: To the greatest degree; very great; excessive. 2. farthest away 3. far from what is usual.

FEEDBACK LOOP: Feedback is both a mechanism, process and signal that is looped back to control a system within itself. This loop is called the feedback loop. A control system usually has input and output to the system; when the output of the system is fed back into the system as part of its input, it is called the "feedback. In a feedback loop, increased amounts of a substance—for example, a hormone—inhibit the release of more of that substance, while decreased amounts of the substance stimulate the release of more of that substance.

FLAT LINED: A flatline is an electrical time sequence measurement that shows no activity and therefore when represented, shows a flat line instead of a moving one. It almost always refers to either a flatlined electrocardiogram, where the heart shows no electrical activity, or to a flat electroencephalogram, in which the brain shows no electrical activity (brain death). Both of these specific cases are involved in various definitions of death. Some consider one who has flatlined to have been clinically dead, regardless of their eventual resuscitation or lack thereof, whereas others insist that one is alive until the moment of brain-death. This is mostly used in the medical industry when a person's pulse has stopped, indicating a flat line on the heart monitor. Flat-lined in this book is used figuratively to mean having no emotion or feeling.

FRAY: fight, battle, or skirmish; a noisy quarrel or brawl.

FREE-RADICAL: Free radicals are highly reactive chemicals that attack molecules by capturing electrons and thus modifying chemical structures.

Free radicals: atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons. These unpaired electrons are usually highly reactive, so radicals are likely to take part in chemical reactions. When free radicals are on the attack, they don't just kill cells to acquire their missing molecule. The problem is, free radicals often injure the cell, damaging the DNA, which creates the seed for disease. Free radicals trigger a damaging chain reaction. Free radicals are dangerous because they don't just damage one molecule. One free radical can set off a whole chain reaction. When a free radical oxidizes a fatty acid, it changes that fatty acid into a free radical, which then damages another fatty acid. It's a very rapid chain reaction.

FMO: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

GLUCOSE: Glucose (Glc), a monosaccharide (or simple sugar) also known as grape sugar, is an important carbohydrate. The living cell uses it as a source of energy. Glucose is one of the main products of photosynthesis (Photosynthesis is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy by living organisms) and starts cellular respiration (Cellular respiration — the reactions and processes that take place in a cell or across the cell membrane to release energy from nutrients and then release waste products). The name comes from the Greek word glykys (γλυκύς), meaning "sweet", plus the suffix "-ose" which denotes a sugar.

Glucaronic acid: An acid, formed by the oxidation of glucose, found combined with other products of metabolism in the blood and urine.

GLUCURONIDATION: A phase II detoxification pathway occurring in the liver in which glucuronic acid is joined together with toxins. It effectively detoxifies the majority of commonly prescribed drugs. This, glucuronidation represents a major means of converting most drugs, steroids, and many toxic substances to metabolites that can then be excreted into the urine or bile.

GLUTATHIONE: Glutathione, or GSH, is a naturally occurring protein that protects every cell, tissue, and organ from toxic free radicals and disease. It is a tripeptide of three amino acids - glycine, glutamate (glutamic acid), and cysteine (tripeptide is a peptide consisting of three amino acids). These precursors (precursors are substances from which something else is formed) are necessary for the manufacture of glutathione within the cells. Glutathione has been called the "master antioxidant", and regulates the actions of lesser antioxidants such as vitamin C, and vitamin E within the body.

Peptide: A molecule consisting of 2 or more amino acids. Peptides are smaller than proteins, which are also chains of amino acids. Molecules small enough to be synthesized from the constituent amino acids are, by convention, called peptides rather than proteins.

GUT: The stomach or belly.

HALF-LIFE: If you draw a graph of drug levels in the blood, you will see that they rise quickly after a dose is taken, then fall off over time until the next dose. When this blood level drops by 50% that would be half-life.

HAMILTON ANXIETY SCORE: The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS or HAMA) is a 14-item test measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms. It is also sometimes called the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS). The score would be the results of the test with a number value.

HAVING YOUR CAKE AND EATING IT TOO: To wish to have one's cake and eat it too or simply have one's cake and eat it (sometimes eat one's cake and have it too) is to want more than one can handle or deserve, or to try to have two incompatible things.

HAY FEVER: Allergy caused by the pollen of ragweed, trees, grasses, and other plants, characterized by itching and running eyes and nose and fits of sneezing.

HEAVY METAL CHELATING: The introduction of certain substances into the body so that they will chelate, and then remove, foreign substances such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and other heavy metals. Chelation therapy can also be used to reduce or remove calcium-based plaque from the linings of the blood vessels, easing the flow of blood to vital organs and tissues. Chelation is a chemical process by which a larger molecule or group of molecules surround or enclose a mineral atom. One source defines "heavy metal" as common transition metals, such as copper, lead, and zinc. These metals are a cause of environmental pollution (heavy-metal pollution) from a number of sources, including lead in petrol, industrial waste, and leaching of metal ions from the soil into lakes and rivers by acid rain.

HEPATIC 3A: Hepatic means having to do with the liver, see CYP 3A.

HOMEOSTASIS: The tendency to maintain, or the maintenance of, normal, internal stability in an organism by coordinated responses of the organ systems that automatically readjust for environmental changes.

HORMONES: Essential substances produced by the endocrine glands that regulate bodily functions; A regulatory substance produced in an organism and transported in tissue fluids such as blood to stimulate cells or tissues into action. Hormones are chemicals released by cells that affect cells in other parts of the body. Only a small amount of hormone is required to alter cell metabolism. It is also a chemical messenger that transports a signal from one cell to another.

HPA: The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis is one of the key parts of the human endocrine system. As its name suggests, it comprises three endocrine glands, the hypothalamus, the (anterior) pituitary, and the adrenal gland cortex.

Figure 1. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

What is the HPA axis?

The hypothalamus is the control center for most of body’s hormonal systems. Follow figure 1 as I explain this. Cells in hypothalamus produce hormone corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) in humans in response to most any type of stress physical or

psychological.

The hypothalamus secretes CRF, which in turn binds to specific receptors on pituitary cells, which produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH is then transported to its target the adrenal gland. The adrenal gland then stimulates the production of adrenal hormones which increase the secretion of cortisol.

The release of cortisol initiates a series of metabolic effects aimed at alleviating the harmful effects of stress through negative feedback to both the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary, which decreases the concentration of ACTH and cortisol in the blood once the state of stress subsides.

HYPER: A prefix meaning over, more than normal, too much.

HYPERAGGRESSION: Too much aggression.

HYPERKINESIAS: An abnormal increase in muscular activity, hyperactivity, especially in children.

HYPER METABOLIZER: Someone that metabolizes too much.

HYPERTHERMIA: Unusually high body temperature.

HYPOTHALAMUS: The hypothalamus links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus, just above the brain stem. It is also responsible for the motivation of what has been called the "Four F's"(feeding, fighting, fleeing, and sexual reproduction (fertility).

The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, anger, and circadian cycles.

HYPOTHALAMUS-PITUITARY-ADRENAL AXIS: See HPA

IMMUNE SYSTEM: A complex system that depends on the interaction of many different organs, cells, and proteins. Its chief function is to identify and eliminate foreign substances such as harmful bacteria that have invaded the body. The liver, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and lymphatic system all play vital roles in the proper functioning

(picture following.)

INDUCER: An inducer is a molecule that starts gene expression. Gene expression is the process by which inheritable information from a gene, such as the DNA sequence, is made into a functional gene product, such as protein.

INFLAMMATORY: Inflammation of the body. Inflammation is a localized physical condition with heat, swelling, redness and usually pain especially as a reaction to injury or infection.

INHIBITOR DRUGS: A drug which restrains or retards physiological, chemical, or enzymatic action.

INSOMNIA: Inability to sleep; abnormal wakefulness.

INSULIN: A protein hormone formed in the pancreas and secreted into the blood, where it regulates carbohydrate (sugar) metabolism.

INTERLUEKIN: Interleukins are a group of cytokines (secreted signaling molecules) that were first seen to be expressed by white blood cells (leukocytes, hence the -leukin) as a means of communication (inter-). It has since been found that interleukins are produced by a wide variety of bodily cells. The function of the immune system depends in a large part on interleukins.

INTERLUEKIN 6 (IL-6): Interluekin-6 (IL-6) is a type of protein made by the body that helps regulate the immune system. It can also serve as a liver cell growth factor. IL-6 is needed in the body however, too much IL-6 will promote inflammation and has been shown to be a direct link to chronic depression.

INTERLUEKIN 2(IL-2): Interleukin-2 is a type of protein found in the immune system , that is instrumental in the body's natural response to microbial infection and in discriminating between foreign and self.

INTERMEDIATE METABOLIZER: Research shows that of all the clinical factors such as age, sex, weight, general health and liver function that alter a patient's response to drugs, genetic factors are the most important. This information becomes even more crucial when you consider the fact that adverse reactions to prescription drugs are killing about 106,000 Americans each year — roughly three times as many as are killed by automobiles.

Approximately half of all Americans have genetic defects that affect how they process these drugs. There are four different types of metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these categories for the variable pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is responsible for creating the enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through our bodies.) The easiest way to understand this is to picture a two-lane highway.

If you are the second type, you would be an INTERMEDIATE metabolizer. This means that one lane of that highway is open and moving and the other lane is not, causing you to metabolize the medications more slowly. In this case you will need a lower dosage, and there is a chance of medications building up in your system causing adverse effects. It is especially important to monitor medications if you are in this category.

INTESTINAL 3A: Is an enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

INTRACELLULAR: Intra means occurring within; intracellular means occurring within the cell.

IONIC BALANCE: (or electrolyte balance) Balance of fluid in the body fluid compartments; total body water, blood volume, maintained by processes in the body that regulate the intake and excretion of water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium.

ION: an atom or group of atoms having a charge of positive or negative electricity.

IONIC CALCIUM: Ionic means pertaining to ions. Ionic calcium would be calcium that is electrically charged. This is the type of calcium that fizzes when you put it in water. The body breaks down calcium and will turn it ionic through the process of absorption. Using ionic calcium bypasses this action of the body.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS): irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a bowel disorder characterized by mild to severe abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating and alteration of bowel habits. In some cases, the symptoms are relieved by bowel movements.

JOURNAL: A daily record of events.

KRILL: Krill are small, shrimp-like fish that swim in the seas.

LECITHIN: Lecithin is a fatlike substance. It is produced daily by the liver if the diet is adequate. It is needed by every cell in the body and is a key building block of cell membranes; without it, they would harden. Lecithin protects cells from oxidation and largely comprises the protective sheaths surrounding the brain. It is composed mostly of B vitamins, phosphoric acid, choline, linoleic acid and inositol.

LIFE: 1. The quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body or inanimate matter (Webster’s Dictionary).

LIGHT/DARK CYCLES: see Circadian Rhythms.

LIMBIC SYSTEM: The limbic system is a term for a set of brain structures that support a variety of functions including emotion, behavior and long term memory. The structures of the brain described by the limbic system are closely associated with the sense of smell structures. The term "limbic" comes from Latin limbus, meaning "border" or "belt."

LYMPH SYSTEM: Part of the immune system with lymph nodes and tissues. The role of tissue fluid is to deliver the groceries to the cells. The role of lymph is to take out the trash that is left behind and to dispose of it.

As lymph continues to circulate between the cells it collects waste products that were left behind including dead blood cells, pathogens, and cancer cells. This clear fluid also becomes protein-rich as it absorbs dissolved protein from between the cells.

MACROECONOMICS: Macro is added to words that refer to things that are large in size or broad in scope. Macroeconomics means relating to the major, general features of a country’s economy such as unemployment and interest rates.

MAJOR CHANGE: A change that is significant.

MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS: An improvement that is significant.

MAJOR POSITIVE CHANGE: A change that is significant and for the better.

MEDICATION INDUCED SIDE EFFECTS: Side effects caused by medication.

MELATONIN: A hormone produced by the pineal gland, melatonin is intimately involved in regulating the sleeping and waking cycles, among other processes. Melatonin supplements are sometimes used by people who have chronic insomnia. Always see your doctor before taking melatonin, as it is not recommended for all patients with sleep problems.

MEMBRANE: A thin layer of tissue which covers a surface or divides a space or organ.

METABOLIZING ROUTE: An enzyme pathway used to metabolize something in the body.

MINERALS: An inorganic substance required by the body in small quantities.

MUCUS LINING: The moist lining of a body cavity or structure, such as the mouth or nose.

NARCOTICS: Are drugs such as opium or heroin which make you sleepy and stop you feeling pain.

NATUROPATH: A health care practitioner that uses diet, herbs and other natural methods and substances to cure illness. The goal is to produce a healthy body state without the use of drugs by stimulating innate defenses.

NEURAL TISSUE: Neural means pertaining to a nerve or to the nerves. Neural tissue is specialized for the conduction of electrical impulses that convey information or instructions from one region of the body to another. About 98% of neural tissue is concentrated in the brain and spinal cord, the control centers for the nervous system.

NORMAL METABOLIZER: See extensive metabolizer.

NUCLEI: Plural of nucleus

NUCLEUS: The small mass at the center of most living cells.

NUTRIENT: A substance that is needed by the body to maintain life and health.

OLFACTORY SYSTEM: The olfactory system is the sensory system used for the sense of smell

Fig.1

OPIATES: A remedy containing or derived from opium; also any drug that induces sleep.

OSMORECEPTER: A specialized sensory nerve ending sensitive to stimulation giving rise to the sensation of odors.

OVLT: The organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT) is one of the circumventricular organs of the brain .Circumventricular organs are so named because they are positioned at distinct sites around the margin of the ventricular system of the brain. The ventricular system is a set of structures in the brain continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord. See Circumventricular organs.

PARASYMPATHETIC SYSTEM: The part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the brain stem and the lower part of the spinal cord that, in general, inhibits or opposes the physiological effects of the sympathetic nervous system, as in tending to stimulate digestive secretions, slow the heart, constrict the pupils, and dilate blood vessels. The Sympathetic Nervous System is a branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is always active and becomes more active during times of stress. Its actions during the stress response are the opposite of the parasympathetic system which is to expand pupils, accelerate heart beat, inhibit digestion and relax the bladder. The autonomic nervous system acts as a control system, maintaining balance in the body.

PATHWAY: A particular course of action; medical The sequence of enzymatic steps in the process by which something is metabolized in the body.

P450 (CYP) ENZYMES: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances such as drugs.

P-gp: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

PHASE II LIVER DETOX GENES: A detox diet needs to do a few things to be effective. First and foremost, a detox diet must increase the phase II of the liver. The liver uses two phases to breakdown chemical toxins.

Phase I: At the end of phase I the liver has accumulated the toxins but they are now in their raw state. This is the stage where your body is the most exposed to toxins. The liver is now holding the toxins in their most toxic state.

Phase II: The liver passes the toxins over to the phase II process. If the phase II process is not functioning properly, the toxins will not be removed and the raw toxins may be dumped back into the body. Phase II is where the toxins are carried out of the body. It is vital during a liver detox that phase II is fully activated. It is also during phase II that glutathione comes into play. Glutathione being activated is every bit as vital during the phase II process of a detox.

There are probably as many viewpoints about how to detox as there are products being sold to handle a detox. However, it does come down to only two items within the liver, phase I and phase II, the breaking down of toxins and moving them out of the body.

There are 3 genes that regulate the phase II of the liver. The gene names are: GSTM1, GSTT1, and GSTP1. The G does stand for Glutathione. At least 50% of the population will have 1 or more of these genes with a variation. For the people with a variation in their detox genes, they will have a more difficult time removing toxins and will need help making glutathione within the liver.

PHOSPHOLIPIDS: Phospholipids are the building blocks of every cell in the human body and that includes nerve cells, tissues, blood vessels, and skin. Phospholipids protect the body from free-radical attack and toxic injury.

PHYSICAL STRESSORS: Physical Stressors result from internal physical symptoms, such as headaches, stomach problems, etc. and external physical stressors, such as heat, cold, excessive noise, etc.

PLATELETS: A circular oval disk found in the blood which is concerned with coagulation (clotting the blood to stop bleeding of a wound).

POOR METABOLIZER: Approximately half of all Americans have genetic defects that affect how they process these drugs. There are four different types of metabolizers, and we all fall into one of these categories for the variable pathways in Cytochrome P450 (this Cytochrome is responsible for creating the enzymes that process chemicals of all kinds through our bodies). The easiest way to understand this is to picture a two lane highway.

If you are the first type which is the norm, you would be an EXTENSIVE metabolizer. Both lanes of the highway are open and moving. Medications prescribed in normal doses will be metabolized by your body.

The third type is a POOR metabolizer. In this case both lanes of the highway would be stopped. There is a possibility that alternate routes can be found, but this type of metabolizer is potentially very dangerous, as there is a great chance for the medication to build up in your system making you very sick, or even killing you.

For example, a poor metabolizer of phenytoin, a common anti-seizure medication would not be able to process the drug and would actually have an increased rather than decreased risk of seizure if prescribed this drug.

POSTREMA: The area postrema is a part of the brain that controls vomiting. The area postrema detects toxins in the blood and acts as a vomit inducing center.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER: (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to one or more terrifying events in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. It is a severe and ongoing emotional reaction to an extreme psychological trauma. This stressor may involve someone's actual death or a threat to the patient's or someone else's life, serious physical injury, or threat to physical and/or psychological integrity, to a degree that usual psychological defenses are incapable of coping. In some cases it can also be from profound psychological and emotional trauma, apart from any actual physical harm. Often, however, the two are combined.

PRE-TAPER: Pre means before and taper means to gradually reduce in size or amount. Pre-taper is something you do before a taper.

PROPRIETARY: Owned by a person or company, as under a patent, trademark or copyright.

PROSURVIVAL: Pro means to support; be in favor of; for. Prosurvival means to support or be in favor or survival.

PROTOCOL: Is a course of treatment for someone who is ill or has an addiction.

PROTRACTED: When something has gone on longer than is usual or expected, usually something unpleasant.

PSYCHOACTIVE MEDICATIONS: A psychoactive drug or psychotropic substance is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behavior.

PSYCHOSIS: Is a psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality." People suffering from it are said to be psychotic.

People experiencing psychosis may report hallucinations or delusional beliefs, and may exhibit personality changes and disorganized thinking. This may be accompanied by unusual or bizarre behavior, as well as difficulty with social interaction and impairment in carrying out the activities of daily living.

A wide variety of central nervous system diseases, from both external toxins, and from internal physiologic illness, can produce symptoms of psychosis.

PSYCHOTROPIC: Having an altering effect on perception, emotion, or behavior. Used especially of a drug.

PHYSIOLOGY: The scientific study of how people’s and animal’s body function and how plants function.

PREBIOTICS: Indigestible carbohydrates that stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) of the intestinal flora.

PROBIOTICS: Your body contains billions of bacteria and other microorganisms. The term "probiotics" refers to dietary supplements or foods that contain beneficial, or "good," bacteria that are similar to those normally found in your body. Although you don't need probiotics to be healthy, these microorganisms may provide some of the same health benefits that the bacteria already existing in your body do — such as assisting with digestion and helping protect against harmful bacteria.

PTSD: See Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

QUANDARY: State of being uncertain; dilemma

REACH: 1. To extend out. 2. To touch or to seize 3. To communicate with.

RECEPTORS: Nerve endings in your body which react to changes and stimuli and make your body respond in a particular way.

RELAPSE: To fall back into an earlier condition.

RENAL EXTRACTION: The term “renal” refers to the kidneys. You are taking something out of the kidneys. Look at and view what amount of drug is staying in the body and what is not. This would be testing what waste comes out of your body to see how much of a drug or substance was left in the body.

RETICULAR FORMATION: The reticular formation is a part of the brain that is involved in actions such as awaking/sleeping cycle, and lying down. It is essential for governing some of the basic functions of higher organisms, and is one of the oldest portions of the brain. A network of nerve fibers and cells in parts of the brainstem, important in regulating consciousness or wakefulness.

ROLLED A SEVEN: To get luck by chance.

SCENARIO: If you talk about a likely or possible scenario, you are talking about the way in which a situation may or has developed.

SCORED: “Tablets are scored” If you score a surface with something sharp, you cut or scratch a line in it.

SELF MEDICATE: Self-medication is the use of drugs to treat a perceived or real malady. Over-the-counter drugs are a form of self medication. The buyer diagnoses his/her own illness and buys a specific drug to treat it. The World Self-Medication Industry (WSMI) define self-medication as the treatment of common health problems with medicines especially designed and labeled for use without medical supervision and approved as safe and effective for such use. A person may also self-medicate by taking more or less than the recommended dose of a drug.

SET-POINT: An arbitrary point for each individual and within each individual’s body. The various hormones and endocrine etc. will have their own point of reference that is ideal for that body.

7 RATING: A rating on how you are doing that you keep in your journal on The Road Back Program. A 7-10 rating is a rating that you are doing well. You are rating how you feel, your energy, appetite, mood and exercise.

SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACIDS: Short chain fatty acids are taken up directly to the portal vein (a large vein that carries blood from the digestive tract to the liver) during digestion of fat. Short chain fatty acids are produced when dietary fiber is fermented in the colon.

SIDE EFFECTS: Problems that occur when treatment goes beyond the desired effect or problems that occur in addition to the desired therapeutic effect.

Example —A hemorrhage from the use of too much anticoagulant (such as heparin) is a side effect caused by treatment going beyond the desired effect.

Example — The common side effects of cancer treatment including fatigue, nausea, vomiting, decreased blood cell counts, hair loss, and mouth sores are instances of side effects that occur in addition to the desired therapeutic effect.

Drug manufacturers are required to list all known side effects of their products.

SLEEP MEDICATION: A drug that puts you to sleep.

SLOW METABOLIZER: See poor metabolizer.

SNRI: Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are a class of antidepressant used in the treatment of major depression and other mood disorders. They are also sometimes used to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and chronic neuropathic pain).

SOLUBLE: That can be dissolved in a liquid.

SSRI: (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors SSRIs, are a class of antidepressants used in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders. They are also typically effective and used in treating premature ejaculation problems as well as some cases of insomnia

STAGE 1 DETOXIFICATION: You have completed Stage 1 Detoxification by coming off the medications.

STAGE 2 DETOXIFICATION: Is the process of removing the remaining toxins from the body. There will be drug toxins still in the body as well other toxins we pick up from living on planet earth.

STAGE 2 SLEEP: In this stage, (the beginning of "true" sleep), the person's electroencephalogram (EEG) will show distinctive wave forms. About 50% of sleep time is stage 2 sleep. Electroencephalography (EEG) is the measurement of electrical activity produced by the brain.

STEADY STATE: A constant level or a level of action that allows a balance between two or more substances.

SUPER FOODS: Highly nutritious supplements considered to have a complete array of all vitamins, minerals and amino acids the human body may need.

SUPRACHIASMATIC NUCLEUS: The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a region of the brain, located in the hypothalamus that is responsible for controlling from within the body circadian rhythms (see circadian rhythms). The neuronal and hormonal activities it generates regulate many different body functions over a 24-hour period. The suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) contains a master circadian pacemaker. Biological rhythms are synchronized by light and darkness.

SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM: Sympathetic Nervous System is a branch of the autonomic nervous system. It is always active and becomes more active during times of stress. Its actions during the stress response are the opposite of the parasympathetic system which is to expand pupils, accelerate heart beat, inhibit digestion and relax the bladder. The autonomic nervous system acts as a control system, maintaining balance in the body.

SYSTEMATIC: Something that is done according to a fixed plan, in a thorough and efficient way.

SYSTEMIC: Having to do with the body as a whole. Systemic chemicals or drugs are absorbed into the whole of the body rather than being applied to one area.

TAPER: To gradually become reduced in amount, number or size until it is greatly reduced.

TESTOSTERONE: A white crystalline steroid hormone, produced primarily in the testes and responsible for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics. It is also produced synthetically for use in medical treatment.

THERMORECEPTOR: Sensory receptor that responds to heat and cold.

Sensory receptors account for our ability to see, hear, taste, and smell, and to sense touch, pain, temperature, and body position. They also provide the unconscious ability of the body to detect changes in blood volume, blood pressure, and the levels of salts, gases, and nutrients in the blood.

These specialized cells are exquisitely adapted for the detection of particular physical or chemical events outside the cell. They are connected to nerve cells, or are themselves nerve cells.

THORACOLUMBAR: Pertaining to the throacolumbar system that part of the nervous system mainly concerned with preparing the body for action particularly during times of stress, excitement or fear. It acts to stimulate such functions as heart rate, sweating and blood flow to the muscles while at the same time decreasing the activity of the digestive system. It is called the thoracolumbar system because the nerves of this system originate from two regions of the spine: the thoracic (meaning of the thorax, that area of the body between the neck and the abdomen; chest) and the lumbar (meaning of the lower part of the back below the thorax).

THYROID: Your thyroid gland is a small gland, normally weighing less than one ounce, located in the front of the neck. It is made up of two halves, called lobes that lie along the windpipe (trachea) and are joined together by a narrow band of thyroid tissue, known as the isthmus.

The thyroid is situated just below your "Adams apple" or larynx. During development (inside the womb) the thyroid gland originates in the back of the tongue, but it normally migrates to the front of the neck before birth. Sometimes it fails to migrate properly and is located high in the neck or even in the back of the tongue (lingual thyroid) This is very rare. At other times it may migrate too far and ends up in the chest (this is also rare).

The function of the thyroid gland is to take iodine, found in many foods, and convert it into thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). Thyroid cells are the only cells in the body which can absorb iodine. These cells combine iodine and the amino acid tyrosine to make T3 and T4. T3 and T4 are then released into the blood stream and are transported throughout the body where they control metabolism (conversion of oxygen and calories to energy). Every cell in the body depends upon thyroid hormones for regulation of their metabolism. The normal thyroid gland produces about 80% T4 and about 20% T3, however, T3 possesses about four times the hormone "strength" as T4.
Thyroid The thyroid gland is under the control of the pituitary gland, a small gland the size of a peanut at the base of the brain. When the level of thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones. Under the influence of TSH, the thyroid will manufacture and secrete T3 and T4 thereby raising their blood levels. The pituitary senses this and responds by decreasing its TSH production. One can imagine the thyroid gland as a furnace and the pituitary gland as the thermostat. Thyroid hormones are like heat. When the heat gets back to the thermostat, it turns the thermostat off. As the room cools (the thyroid hormone levels drop), the thermostat turns back on (TSH increases) and the furnace produces more heat (thyroid hormones).

The pituitary gland itself is regulated by another gland, known as the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is part of the brain and produces TSH Releasing Hormone (TRH) which tells the pituitary gland to stimulate the thyroid gland (release TSH). One might imagine the hypothalamus as the person who regulates the thermostat since it tells the pituitary gland at what level the thyroid should be set.

The thyroid gland, a part of the endocrine (hormone) system, plays a major role in regulating the body’s metabolism.

Hypothyroidism is a decreased activity of the thyroid gland which may affect all body functions. The rate of metabolism slows causing mental and physical sluggishness. Hypothyroidism can be caused by a problem with the thyroid itself (primary), or by the malfunction of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus (secondary).

THYROID-STIMULATING HORMONE: When the level of thyroid hormones (T3 & T4) drops too low, the pituitary gland produces Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) which stimulates the thyroid gland to produce more hormones.

TITRATING MEDICATION: To continuously measure and adjust the balance of a drug dosage.

TRAUMATIC STRESS: One or more terrifying events in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. This stressor may involve someone's actual death or a threat to the patient's or someone else's life, serious physical injury etc.

TREPIDATION: Trepidation (from Lat. trepidus, "anxious") is a term meaning, in general, the fear or trembling.

TSH: See Thyroid Stimulating Hormone.

2A6: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

2B6: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

2E1: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

UGT1A1: This gene encodes an enzyme of a pathway that transforms small molecules, such as steroids, excreted bile, hormones, and drugs, into water-soluble, excretable substances that have been metabolized.

Lack of UGT1A1 in a newborn liver is the major cause of jaundice in newborns. This jaundice is generally caused by the natural breakdown of fetal blood cells which produces bilirubin that cannot be cleared if UGT1A1 is expressed at low levels or is absent. This type of jaundice can remedied by UV light exposure.

UGT1A3, UGT1A4, UGTIA6, UTGIA9: Are human genes used in metabolizing substances in the body. Each gene encodes an enzyme of a pathway that transforms small molecules, such as steroids, excreted bile, hormones, and drugs, into water-soluble, excretable substances that have been metabolized.

UGT2B15: Is a human gene. The UGTs are of major importance in the joining and subsequent elimination of potentially toxic compounds.

UGT2B7: (UDP-Glucuronosyltransferase-2B7) is a phase II metabolism enzyme found to be active in the liver, kidneys, cells of the lower gastrointestinal tract and also has been reported in the brain.UGT2B7 is the major enzyme for the metabolism of morphine.

UNDENATURED: Undenatured means not having its nature or structure changed. In a natural state not changed in any way.

VAGUS: The vagus nerve, or cranial nerve X, is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls functions of the body that are not under voluntary control, such as heart rate and digestion. The vagus nerve is the only nerve that starts in the brain stem and extends down below the head, to the neck, chest and abdomen.

The medieval Latin word vagus means literally "Wandering" (the words vagrant, vagabond, and vague come from the same root).

VASOCONSTRICTION: Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contracting of the muscular wall of the vessels. When blood vessels constrict, the flow of blood is restricted or slowed. Factors causing vasoconstriction are called vasoconstrictor, also vasopressors or simply pressors. Vasoconstriction usually results in an increase of the blood pressure. Vasoconstriction may be slight or severe. Vasoconstriction in the penis can disable males from maintaining an erection (erectile dysfunction). It may result from disease, medication, or psychological conditions. Medications that cause vasoconstriction include antihistamines, decongestants, methylphenidate (commonly used for ADHD), cough and cold combinations, pseudoephedrine, and caffeine.

VASOPRESSIN SECRETION: Arginine vasopressin (AVP), also known as vasopressin, argipressin or antidiuretic hormone (ADH), is a hormone found in most mammals, including humans. The primary effect of vasopressin is to increase water re-absorption in the kidneys.

VITAMIN: One of approximately fifteen organic substances that are essential in small quantities for life and health. Most vitamins cannot be manufactured by the body and so need to be supplied in the diet.

WHEY ISOLATE PROTEIN: Isolate means to separate (a substance) in pure form from a combined mixture. Whey is the watery part of milk that separates from the curds, as in the process of making cheese. What is whey protein? Whey protein is a pure, natural, high quality protein from cow's milk. It is a rich source of the essential amino acids needed on a daily basis by the body. In its purest form, as whey protein isolate, it contains little to no fat, lactose or cholesterol.

WITHDRAWAL SIDE EFFECTS: The reactions that occur in your body when you withdraw the use of a drug.

WILLY NILLY: 1. Whether desired or not: After her boss fell sick, she willy-nilly found herself directing the project. 2. Being or occurring in a disordered or haphazard fashion: Willy-nilly zoning laws.

2A6: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

2B6: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

2E1: An enzyme pathway the body uses to metabolize substances.

The claims, information and products mentioned through this site or within the book, How to Get Off psychiatric Drugs Safely have not been evaluated by the United States Food and Drug Administration and are not approved to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease. The information provided on this site or within the book, How to Get Off Psychiatric Drugs Safely is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other healthcare professional. You should not use the information on this site for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.

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Copyright 2006 - How to Get Off Psychiatric Drugs Safely by James L. Harper used with permission.
Copyright 2007 - How to Get Off Psychiatric Drugs Safely by James L. Harper used with permission.

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