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6 July 2005
Last Modified: 25 March 2010

WARRIOR
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: 158-62; 165; 173; 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.

This diet is not meant to restrict your caloric intake (or your fat grams, or any other numerical indicator most diets rely on). Aimed primarily at providing a healthy brain chemistry, this isn't a weight loss plan. But this is a healthy diet, and when combined with a reasonable level of activity, you're likely to reach a stable, desirable weight - and be generally physically healthy as well. (p.158)

The Warrior diet:

5-7 small meals a day
3-4 3-ounce servings of animal protein (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs). [Three ounces] is a small serving about the size of a deck of cards. Standard containers of yogurt run 6-8 [ounces], which would count as at least two servings here.
3-4 servings of non-animal protein (beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains)
4-8 [½ c] servings vegetables
3-6 servings fruit
3-4 servings whole grains
(If you've chosen whole grains as a protein food, you would still be allowed two additional servings under this category.)

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Food	Best Choices	Avoid
The Warrior Diet
Animal Protein 3-4 servings	pork beef beef liver lamb liver red meat turkey chicken chicken liver salmon tuna herring milk cottage cheese eggs (and egg yolk)	shellfish
Non-Animal Protein 3-4 servings	soy protein (including tofu) Legumes: lentils lima beans navy beans soybeans garbanzo beans (chickpeas) Nuts: almonds cashews peanuts (peanut butter) pecans walnuts Seeds: pumpkin seeds sesame seeds sunflower seeds
Vegetables 4-8 servings	alfalfa sprouts avocado broccoli (in fact, green vegetables generally) Brussels sprouts cabbage carrots cauliflower collards (in fact, leafy greens generally) eggplant mustard greens onions parsley peas peppers (especially red pepper) potatoes pumpkins spinach sweet potatoes Swiss chard tomatoes winter squash
Fruit 3-6 servings	apricots bananas berries blueberries cantaloupe cherries citrus fruits guava kiwi mangoes melons oranges papaya peaches pineapples plums strawberries	dried fruit
Whole Grains 2-4 servings	brown rice shredded wheat whole wheat products bran wheat germ rice polish enriched cereal fortified bread	white flour white rice
Sweeteners	maple syrup	white sugar chocolate cocoa
Beverages	green tea orange juice	alcohol caffeinated drinks (including coffee, sodas, and diet sodas)
Condiments and Seasonings	butter cream brewer's yeast
Source: Michael Lesser MD, The Brain Chemistry Plan. Berkley Trade (2003:160-162) 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)

Vitamin A: 25,000 IU five days a week
Vitamin C: 250 mg-10 g
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6): 5-100 mg*
Cobalamin (vitamin B12): 1,000 mcg orally;
1,000 mcg/ml (1 ml) injected every three to four days - only "in trouble"
Thiamine (vitamin B1): 50-500 mg twice a day*
Niacin (vitamin B3): 100 mg-3 g*

*Start on the lower end of that range if you are pretty well in balance, and gradually increase as necessary until you find the dose that is effective and that you tolerate well. If you are in trouble, you might want to start with a higher dose. (p.165)

Intervention	Daily Dose
B12	1,000 mcg (1 ml) injected every 3-4 days
Amino Acids
Tryptophan	1-9 g (1-3 g for sleep)
Methionine	500 mg-2 g (in trouble)
Herbs
Green Tea	2-4 cups a day (no more than 300 mg caffeine)

Fruits and vegetables.
(p.158)

Excessive animal protein.
idem

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WARRIORBrain Chemistry Type Diet The Brain Chemistry Plan

The Warrior Diet

WARRIOR
Brain Chemistry Type Diet
The Brain Chemistry Plan