Neurotransmitters are chemicals produced by nerve cells that send messages from one nerve cell to another. You should care about them because they have everything to do with how you feel and function. Do you feel up? Down? Energetic, mentally alert, foggy-brained, anxious, irritable, calm, confident, motivated, trusting, wary, exhilarated or euphoric? Neurotransmitters are involved in all of the above.

If you’re physically and mentally healthy and leading a balanced, fulfilling life, neurotransmitters act primarily as “feel-good chemicals.” But stress, toxins, medications, poor diet, and illness can deplete and imbalance your neurotransmitters, leaving you depressed, anxious, irritable, tired, unable to sleep, and unable to control your appetite and food cravings.

Addictive substances like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, and sugar turn feel-good neurotransmitters back on again. Unfortunately, they do it in a way that further depletes and/or imbalances them. This necessitates going back to your drug of choice to feel good again.

Other problems related to neurotransmitter deficiency/imbalance include PMS and other female complaints, fibromyalgia, poor thyroid function, low sex drive, increased infections, mood swings, migraine headaches, ADD/ADHD, autism, memory problems, hypertension, digestive difficulties, and various psychiatric diagnoses.

When withdrawing from an addictive drug like nicotine, it can be helpful to support your body’s production of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and GABA. Each person will be somewhat unique in this regard depending on what they were getting from smoking. Was it sedation? Then you may feel anxious without the nicotine. Stimulation? You may feel depressed or tired.

Dopamine is elicited by the expectation of reward. It excites and motivates you to pursue things that meet your needs. It improves memory, concentration, mental alertness, optimism and sex drive. It’s made from the amino acid tyrosine with the help of vitamin B6. Rhodiola rosea can accelerate this conversion and helps reduce stress on its own. Foods rich in tyrosine or tyrosine precursors are chicken, DHA-fortified eggs, almonds, avocados, bananas, lima beans, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds.

Serotonin calms the brain and engenders self-confidence. It helps with depression, anxiety, food cravings and sleep problems. It’s made from the amino acid tryptophan or the tryptophan derivative 5HTP. You can also encourage the body to make more serotonin by getting out in the sun in the morning for 10-30 minutes, or with the smell of vanilla. Dietary sources of tryptophan include turkey, avocado, almonds, eggs, chocolate, oats, fish, sesame seeds, chickpeas, sunflowers seeds, Spirulina and bananas.

GABA is a calming/sedating neurotransmitter that can be taken at bedtime to induce sleep or during the day to combat stress. It’s made from the amino acid glutamine with the help of vitamins B6 and zinc. Glutamine, is well known for helping to decrease symptoms when withdrawing from addictive substances. Grass-fed beef and poultry are good food sources of glutamine.