Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life

part of the nerve cell membrane, because it manufactures acetylcho-
line. The common name for PC is lecithin. Lecithin is found in eggs 
and soy. It can also be bought in granulated form and sprinkled on 
your food, and vegans often use it as a substitute for eggs in recipes. 
Lecithin has been reported to keep the level of the amino acid 
homocysteine in check. A high level of homocysteine has been 
associated with a number of degenerative diseases (Smith, 2006; 
Sehub, Jacques, Bostom, D ’ Agostino, Wilson, Belanger, et al., 1995). 
It contributes to the clotting of the blood vessel linings and the 
development of plaque in the arteries. It can also block the synthe-
sis of neurotransmitters and trigger metabolic changes that injure 
the neurons. 
Each type of neurotransmitter is released by the cell membrane, 
fl oats across the gap between the neurons (the synapse), and links 
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with a receptor site like a key in a lock. The receptors are held 
in place by phospholipids and fatty acids. If the structures of the 
phospholipids and the fatty acids are damaged or are poorly formed 
(changed in shape), the receptor can ’ t receive the neurotransmitter. 
It ’ s partly for this reason that fatty acid supplements have been 
shown to improve the action of antidepressant medications.
Diet, Fats, and Depression 
In the past century, the amounts of essential fatty acids consumed 
in the typical American diet have declined by more than 80 percent 
(Schmidt, 2007; Rudin, 1985). Moreover, the types of fats have 
changed for the worse, with an increase in animal fats, vegetable 
oils, and processed foods. The balance of fats has also changed 
dramatically: although there was once a balance between omega - 6 
and omega - 3, that ratio has been skewed to 30:1. The vast reduction 
in omega - 3 fatty acid consumption has occurred for the following 
reasons: 
•
The reduction of cereal germ (which contains essential fatty 
acids) by current milling practices
•
Decreased fi sh consumption
•
A 2,500 percent increase in trans - fatty acid consumption 
(which interferes with essential fatty acid synthesis)
•
A 250 percent increase in sugar intake (which interferes with 
the enzymes of essential fatty acid synthesis)
•
An increase in the consumption of LA oils (corn, sesame, 
saffl ower, sunfl ower)
•
The hydrogenation of oils in commercial processing
Studies throughout the world have shown that there is a link 
between the levels of fatty acids and depression. For example, a 
study of 3,884 patients in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, found that 
the higher the ratio of omega - 6 to omega - 3, the higher the rate 
of depression. The researchers concluded that an adequate level of 
omega - 3 is associated with positive moods. 
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114 Rew i r e
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In Melbourne, Australia, a similar correspondence was found 
between the ratio of omega - 6 to omega - 3 and the incidence of 
depression. As the omega - 6 level was elevated over the omega - 3 
level, there was a corresponding increase in the symptoms of 
depression. 
Similar results were found in a study in Belgium: people with 
depression had a higher ratio of omega - 6 to omega - 3. Supplementing 
one ’ s diet with omega - 3 has been a consistent recommendation in 
all these studies. 
An elevated level of triglycerides (a group of lipids) has also been 
found to be associated with an increase in depression, whereas 
lowering the triglyceride level is associated with the alleviation of 
depression. 
Nancy ’ s old diet is unfortunately all too common, as she pointed 
out the fi rst time I met her. The relatively recent increase in fried 
foods in the American diet has created multiple health problems, 
including obesity, cardiovascular problems, and compromised brain 
functions. 
When an unsaturated fat is heated for a long time in a metal 
container, such as occurs with deep frying in fast - food restaurants, 
trans - fatty acids are formed. These are altered fats. In contrast to 
essential fatty acids, which are curved and fl exible and thus help the 
nerve cell membranes to maintain their electrical properties, trans -
fatty acids are straight, tend to be solid at body temperature, and act 
like saturated fat. This makes them more rigid and infl exible, which 
makes them interfere with the normal functional properties of the 
nerve cell membranes. 
Researchers have shown that when trans - fatty acids are accom-
panied by a low level of omega - 3 ALA, the absorption of trans - 
fatty acids by the brain doubles. Also, when the level of trans - fatty 
acids is high, omega - 3 DHA is replaced by a poor substitute called 
docosapentaenoic acid
(DPA) (Petersen and Opstvedt, 1992). This 
substitution occurs with excessive alcohol consumption, excessive 
omega - 6 consumption, or insuffi cient essential fatty acids (espe-
cially DHA and ALA). 
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Common sources of trans - fatty acids are foods prepared with