Nutrition And Vitamin Therapy : Orthomolecular Medicine

244 Pages·1985·9.992 MB·English

by  Michael Lesser

"This book will not only help the individuals who read it, but will also contribute to a
better understanding of the science of nutrition, and to a better relationship between
the scientists and practitioners who are striving to improve the mental health of the
American people." From the Foreword by Senator George McGovern
AND
NUTRITION
THERAPY
VITAMIN
MD
by Michael Lesser
i
$9.95
Nutrition and vitamin therapy / 23590
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Lesser, Michael.
NEW COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA (SF)
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Nutrition and
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N8 Nutrition and —vitamin therapy /
L47 Michael Lesser* 1st Evergreen ed*
[New York] Grove Press 1980*
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240 p* 24 cm*
;
Printed by Nutritional Medicine
(Berkeleyt CA)^ 1985*
Includes foiblioffraphical references
p* 221-232) and index*
( #16236 Gilt: Bob Sandolph $ * •
ISBN 0-394-17600-6 pbk«
( )
1* Or—thomolecular therapy* 2* Mental
Illness Nutritional aspects* 3*
Nutrition Psychological aspects* 4*
Vitamin therapy* I* Title
02 MAfi 96 5264100 NEWCxc 79-52100r872
THE UHRARY
NEW COLLEGL OF CALIFORNIA
60 FSLL STREET
SAN FRANCISCO.CALIFORNIA 94t02
Nutrition and
Vitamin Therapy

and
Nutrition
Vitamin Therapy
MICHAEL
LESSER, M.D.
Copyright© 1980 by Louis Michael Lesser
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, for any reason, by any means,
including any method of photographic reproduction, without the permission
of the publisher.
First Evergreen Edition 1980
First Nutritional Medicine Printing 1985
ISBN: 0-394-17600-6
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 79-52100
LibraryofCongress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lesser, Michael.
Nutrition and vitamin therapy.
Bibliography: p. 221
Includes index.
1. Orthomolecular psychiatry. 2. Mental
illness—Nutritional aspects. 3. Diet-
Psychological aspects. 4. Vitamin therapy.
I. Title. [DNLM: 1. Mental disorders—Drug
therapy. 2. Mental disorders—Diet therapy.
3. Orthomolecular therapy. WM402 L638n]
RC455.4.N8L47 616.8'91 79-52100
ISBN 0-394-17600-6 pbk.
Manufactured in the United States of America
NUTRITIONAL MEDICINE
2340 Parker Street, Berkeley, California 94704
This book is for my family. For my father,
Samuel, my first and best teacher of human
nature. For my mother, Edith, who always
believed in G-d. To my wife, Deborah, the
treasure of my life; and our son Eli. If he is
representative of his generation, there will be a
beautiful tomorrow.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First I thank Drs. Abram Hoffer and Humphrey Osmond,
originators of megavitamin therapy. My special gratitude to Drs.
Carl C. Pfeiffer, David Hawkins, Jose A. Yaryura-Tobias, and
Allen Cott, my first teachers.
I applaud my contemporaries: Drs. Richard Kunin, Harvey
Ross, Elizabeth Rees, and Bernard Rimland in California, Carl
Reich and Glenn Green in Canada, Jack Ward, Moke Williams,
Michael Schacter, and Michael Janson in the East, Gary Vickar
in St. Louis, and the deceased but remembered Walter Alvarez
and Robert Meiers.
I have learned from the allergists: Drs. Thoren Randolph,
Ben Feingold, Marshall Mandell, Phyllis Saifer, and Charles
McGee.
Special appreciation also to Dr. Roger Williams, Dr. Linus
Pauling, Richard Hicks, Harry and Theda Shifs, Elaine Jacob-
son, Anne Segerman, Peggy Spanel, Rosalind La Roche, Eliz-
abeth Gentalia, Thelma Thompson, Dr. Lendon Smith, Eric
Baig, John Stroh, Dr. Louis Langman, Dr. Fugan Neziroglu,
Laurence Lesser, Helene Wilcox, Mollie Starr Schriftman, Dr.
Emmanuel Cheraskin, and Alex Schauss.
My
gratitude to the political warriors for nutrition: Senator
George McGovern and his aides, Alan Stone, Chris Hitt, and
Marshall Matz; California Senate Speaker James Mills, and his
aide Derek Casady.
Thanks to Mary Roddy, Nick and Marianne Bosco, Dr.
Stephen Langer, and Cynthia Frantz and Claire Risley, who
helped me with the manuscript.
Finally I thank my patients, who never gave up and taught
me so much. My deepest regards to my editor at Grove Press,
Alan Rinzler.
I recall so many others, but brevity does not permit me to
mention them; I am thankful and hope this book will prove
worthy of their generosity and trust.
Contents
Foreword by Sen. George S. McGovern 11
Introduction 13
One: Nutrition and Vitamin Therapy 15
Two: A Brief History of Nutrition and
Vitamin Therapy 30
Three: The B-Complex Vitamin Family 48
Four: Vitamin C and the Bioflavinoids 83
Five: The Fat-Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E, and K 100
Six: The Elements: Part One-The Bulk Minerals 117
Seven: The Elements: Part Two-The Trace Minerals 133
Eight: Detecting and Avoiding the Toxic Metals 154
Nine: Neurosis and Blood Sugar 170
Ten: Allergies and Addictions 187
Eleven: Sex and Nutrition 200
Conclusion 218
References 221
Index 233
•9