This is the 4th post in my series about talking with your teens about diet. I've already written about the Perfect 10 Diet book, The Mayo Clinic Diet book and school lunches, fast food and soda. Another diet book that recently got my attention is The Serotonin Power Diet. Little did I know that boosting serotonin levels, by eating a small amount of carbs before a meal, would help me to eat less overall and therefore lost weight.

From co-author Nina Frusztajer, MD:

One of the reasons many people fail on a weight loss program is feelings of deprivation and an unsatisfied appetite.  Boosting brain serotonin while losing weight can eliminate these major obstacles to weight loss.  The key to effective weight loss is eating serotonin-boosting carbohydrates at the right times of day and in the right amounts to control appetite and, at the same time, maintain a good mood.  This is particularly effective for people who have gained weight on antidepressants.  People who experience stress-related eating, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and hormone-related overeating (PMS and menopause) benefit a great deal as well.

Judith Wurtman, PhD, co-author of "The Serotonin Power Diet", conducted decades of research at MIT on the relationship between dietary carbohydrates, appetite, mood, and weight loss.  Clinical research and a weight loss clinic that implemented the principles of her ground-breaking research formed the basis for the program outlined in "The Serotonin Power Diet which is an easy-to-follow, practical diet for weight loss and weight maintenance.  Forget cutting carbs!  As part of a balanced diet, carbs are a highly effective weight loss tool.  Readers and clients commonly report "This is a program I can be on for the rest of my life!"

The book also includes troubleshooting advice and chapters on meals and recipes to fit into your daily diet. When I thought about it, I did realize that whenever I have bread before a meal, I feel full and have to stop eating way before I am finished. Whether you are looking to lose weight or just be healthy, The Perfect 10 Diet, The Mayo Clinic Diet and The Serotonin Power Diet all seem like sensible diets to follow.


See also: Fitness for Geeks - The Science Behind Nutrition and Health

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