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6 July 2005
Last Modified: 25 March 2010

STOIC
Brain Chemistry Type Diet
The Brain Chemistry Plan

This is a synopsis of the Diet, Daily Supplements, and Interventions in times of trouble for the Guardian Brain Chemistry Type, as detailed in The Brain Chemistry Plan: The personalized nutritional prescription for balancing mood, relieving stress, and conquering depression, by Michael Lesser, M.D.

Information in the following tables has been extracted for personal use from Lesser's work (NY: Perigee; 2003: 57-9; 68; 85; passim). All material presented here has been checked and rechecked to ensure consistency with the book. Given the complexity of this schema, however, it is strongly recommended that the reader obtain and study the full text of The Brain Chemistry Plan, which contains a great deal of additional information required to make an informed decision regarding diet; lifestyle choices; vitamin, mineral, amino acid, and related supplementation.

The Stoic diet is not about counting calories (though with exercise, you will also maintain a healthy weight and general good health on this diet). It is more like the FDA Food Pyramid (which has its flaws) in focusing on the number of servings of different kinds of foods that Stoics should build into their daily diets. (p.57)

The Stoic diet should consist of:

5-7 small meals a day
2-3 servings dairy protein
1-2 servings meat protein
5-8 [½ c] servings vegetables
2-3 servings fruit
4-5 servings whole grains
2 servings legumes
1 serving nuts and seeds (optional)

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Food	Best Choices	Good Choices	Avoid
The Stoic Diet
Dairy Protein 2-3 servings	raw milk cottage cheese yogurt cheddar cheese	pasteurized milk	homogenized milk in clear plastic containers canned milk powdered milk
Meat Protein 1-2 servings	sardines chicken (enriched with DHA) eggs (enriched with DHA) salmon turkey herring halibut	poultry red meat eggs (not enriched with DHA) fish caviar pork tuna	canned, processed, and frozen meats with preservatives
Vegetables 5-8 servings	avocados eggplant tomatoes seaweed (hijiki, nori, and kombu) peas alfalfa sprouts broccoli cabbage carrots potatoes spinach asparagus lettuce onions cauliflower	Brussels sprouts collards kale mustard greens parsley peppers mushrooms iceberg lettuce	canned and frozen vegetables, especially with EDTA, preservatives, or additives
Fruit 2-3 servings	bananas pineapple plums lemons cantaloupe oranges	apricots berries melons cherries limes guava grapefruit kiwi mangoes papaya strawberries	canned fruit, especially in rich sugar syrups
Whole Grains 4-5 servings	whole-grain bread whole-grain cereal brown rice shredded wheat whole wheat oatmeal		white bread white rice white flour
Legumes 2 servings	tofu black beans pinto beans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) lentils navy beans lima beans soybeans	canned beans frozen beans	canned and frozen beans with added sugar, EDTA, hydrogenated oil, or preservatives
Nuts and Seeds 1 serving, optional	peanuts almonds sunflower seeds walnuts Brazil nuts	pistachios cashews pumpkin seeds (and other squash seeds) pecans sesame seeds	unsalted raw nuts
Sweeteners	maple syrup	honey	white sugar
Beverages	milk green tea (decaffeinated) ginseng tea tomato juice		caffeinated drinks (including coffee, tea, sodas, and diet sodas)
Condiments and Seasonings	brewer's yeast lecithin		yeast
Source: Michael Lesser MD, The Brain Chemistry Plan. Berkley Trade (2003:58-59) Chapters \| Barnes and Noble \| Amazon.com \| Amazon.ca

CAUTION:
The following material regarding vitamin, mineral, amino acid and other dietary supplements is presented for purposes of information only, and is in no way intended to supersede advice from a qualified health care professional. Unless you have in-depth knowledge of these supplements and know what you are doing, it is strongly recommended that you consult your pharmacist or physician before attempting to medicate yourself. The Brain Chemistry Plan describes each supplement, its actions, uses, and contraindications — all of which are beyond the scope of this synopsis.

Responses to vitamin and mineral supplements can be highly idiosyncratic. In elevated dosage, for example, niacin (nicotinic acid) causes histamine release, resulting in cutaneous vasodilatation and increased blood flow, with symptoms of flushing, itching and tingling sensations, an increase in skin temperature, and increased motility of the stomach. These effects are transient, usually occurring a few minutes after ingestion and lasting up to an hour. Adverse reactions may include severe generalized flushing, decreased glucose tolerance, activation of peptic ulcers, abnormalities of hepatic function tests, jaundice, gastrointestinal disorders, dry skin, keratosis nigricans, pruritis, hyperuricemia, toxic amblyopia, hypotension and transient headache. When properly used, however, in conjunction with an optimal diet, niacin is extremely effective.

If I had to choose only one vitamin [in] my repertoire for improving mood or guarding against the blues,
[niacin] is the one I'd probably pick. Michael Lesser, MD (2003:71)

Start with lower doses and increase as necessary for desired effect. (p.68)

Riboflavin (vitamin B2): 100 mg
Niacin (vitamin B3): 100-3,000 mg
Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5):
100-500 mg
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6): 25-200 mg
Folic Acid: 1 mg
Cobalamin (vitamin B12): 1,000 mcg
Thiamine (vitamin B1): 50-500 mg
Vitamin C: 500-3,000 mg
Zinc: 0-30 mg
Magnesium: 0-500 mg
DHA [DocosaHexaenoic Acid, an essential fatty acid]:
up to 1,250 mg

Serotonin-promoting foods such as:

• avocados
• walnuts
• bananas
• pineapple
• eggplant
• plums
• tomatoes (p.55)

Caffeine (though in small amounts and not daily, caffeine is actually positive for most Stoics).
idem

Intervention	Daily Dose
Amino Acids
Tryptophan	500-9,000 mg
5-HTP (an alternative to tryptophan)	150 mg 3 times a day
Tyrosine	1.5-3 g
Phenylalanine	1.5-3 g (L-phenylalanine [natural source]) 500 mg (DL-phenylalanine [synthesized]) 3 times a day for one week, then once daily
Minerals
Cesium	100mg once every three months, up to 400 mg every day (only if followed by physician)
Accessory Nutrients
SAMe [s-adenosylmethionine] pronounced "sammy"	400-1,600 mg
Herbs
St. John's Wort	300 mg 3 times a day
Green Tea	2-4 cups a day
Ginseng	2-4 cups a day as tea; or 100-1,250 mg in capsules; or 300 mg/ml in liquid form

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STOICBrain Chemistry Type Diet The Brain Chemistry Plan

The Stoic Diet

STOIC
Brain Chemistry Type Diet
The Brain Chemistry Plan