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 Book Review By Apryl Krause, ND
Before launching into treatments, Prousky gives a synopsis of what orthomolecular medicine is, questions to ask a patient regarding their symptoms, differential diagnosis, drugs and substances causing anxiety, and common drugs used for anxiety and depression. Then he gets to what appears to be one of his pet treatments: niacinamide. I do not remember ever hearing about using this substance in class or in my clinical education, and I admit to being so enamored with the case studies, biochemical explanations and “evidence grades” (developed by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine) that I have started using niacinamide in my own practice. So far, using this nutrient along with full a treatment plan has been very effective in several cases. Vitamin B12 is the second runner up for use in the treatment of anxiety and depression in this text. Naturopaths use B12 extensively, and I don't remember coming across another source that gives better information regarding dosing, lab work and biochemical pathways. Following close behind niacinamide and B12 are the other B vitamins and several minerals and amino acids. The discussions in this book revolve around the author's clinical use of orthomolecular medicine, which I enjoy. One could argue that the book isn't complete because Prousky does not exhaustively list all of the natural substances used in natural medicine, both old and new, to decrease anxiety. However, the leanness of the book is what I believe makes it effective because one doesn't have to grapple with the question of what really works clinically; the author only lists nutrients he uses himself. Two major underlying conditions are cited as causes of anxiety: cerebral allergies and hypoglycemia. Caffeine, alcohol and sugar are cited as causing anxiety, and they are obviously components of many of our patients' diets; then enter wheat, dairy, eggs, corn and many other foods. Finding and eliminating allergens can give patients a new lease on life, and we need to remember to look at them when a patient is willing to go there with us. Also, hypoglycemia is all too common. Prousky has tables showing hypoglycemic symptoms, a table explaining how to interpret a five-hour glucose tolerance test, and suggestions on how to help people change their eating habits. All in all, this is exactly what I look for in a book for everyday clinical use. It's thorough without being long-winded. It not only discusses nutrients, but also gives optimal doses. The case studies are convincing and there are plenty of studies cited to back up the conclusions drawn by the author. Lastly, the book is small, at only125 pages, well bound, and can fit in my lab coat pocket when I want to carry it around. I give it an A+. To order this product, call MPA Provider Services at (800) 359-2289. Editor's note: If you have authored, published or otherwise produced a professional, educational naturopathy-related book, audio, video or DVD package and would like to submit it for consideration, please send two copies to: Review Coordinator Items submitted for review will not be returned. All items being accepted for review will receive a rating on a scale of 1-10, 10 being best. For more information, contact Naturopathy Digest at (800) 359-2289 or reviewcoordinator@mpamedia.com.
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All Rights Reserved, Naturopathy Digest, 2010.
Date Last Modified - Friday, 17-Oct-2008 12:11:02 PDT
Anxiety is an extremely common diagnosis. Many patients I see have been prescribed a myriad of medications ranging from Xanax and Paxil to Effexor. They also have insomnia spinning off from the anxiety, resulting in prescriptions of Ambien, Valium and even Seroquel. Some people are OK with this routine, as it helps them maintain whatever lifestyle they are living. Others are ready to wean off their meds and try something new, and yet others are so tentative about medications and addiction issues, they would rather never use pharmaceuticals. Anxiety: Orthomolecular Diagnosis and Treatment by John Prousky BPHE, BSc, ND, RFSH, put out by the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine Press, is a succinct guide to effective ways of treating the symptoms related to anxiety, as well as the causes.
