Posted by JLx on October 30, 2003, at 8:29:47
In reply to Pfeiffer Treatment Center in Illinois, posted by lynn-lynn on October 29, 2003, at 19:24:11
I haven't tried Pfeiffer, but hope you don't mind that I comment otherwise on your post....
>At this point in my life, I am willing to take meds to temporarily help me to get to sleep if I have insomnia for more than 3 nights but that's about it. I tend to be sensitive to stress but I don't have depression like I used to --I'm holding together pretty well. ... > My biggest concern with my health is my problem with overeating, "compulsive overeating" as it's know in some circles and they way I can use food to keep the rest of the world at a distance. I'm working on it.
> lynn-lynn
Most of my life, I've had insomnia as well as "nightowlism" when I needed to get up early, and it's a special circle of hell, as far as I'm concerned. Some relief came to me with middle age, but more so with magnesium. Exercise, and not eating sugar, dairy and grains helps me a lot too. So does a tiny bit of melatonin, 50 mg of 5-HTP and 500 mg to 1 gm glycine before bed.
Given your BP diagnosis, if you haven't already seen it, you might be interested in this guy's site, as he was BP too, which is what started me on the magnesium bandwagon: http://www.coldcure.com/html/dep.html
Once I started supplementing with magnesium glycinate, I also had the most freedom I've ever had from "compulsive overeating". Magnesium enabled me to make the other dietary changes I needed to make pretty much without pain/ repeated failure...something that 3 years and many, many meetings in Overeaters Anonymous didn't do for me. I've lost a big chunk of weight since I started magnesium and changed my diet, but most importantly, it's been without the usual hideous see saw of craving/resisting/giving in that's characterized most of my adult life.
Besides OA, I had therapists who said that when I worked on things sufficiently -- especially my past (incest) -- that relief from the weight/overeating would "fall into place". Wrong. I ruined my life "working on" past issues...and was more nuts regarding food, and gained more weight than ever.
For me changing/balancing brain chemistry through food and supplements (a never ending adventure apparently if this board is any indication! :)) has been the primary key, not psychology and not spirituality.
poster:JLx
thread:274794
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20031023/msgs/274940.html