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against those who were mentally alert and noted that the senile patients suffered from serious Vitamin
C deficiency. He was able to counteract this condition by administering large doses of the vitamin. A
deficiency of 1000 to 1500 milligrams of Vitamin C is regarded as emotionally hazardous. The
doctor's oldsters had shortages of anywhere from 1400 to 3000 milligrams!
C. Milner, M.D., in the British Journal of Psychiatry, also tells of a low Vitamin C content in the
bloodstream of 40 senile and "mentally ill" patients. For three weeks, he gave each patient 1000
milligrams of Vitamin C daily. Result: relief of depressive manic and paranoid symptoms. Dr. Milner
says it takes from 24 to 48 hours to saturate the tissues of a normal person with Vitamin C therapy; in
the senile, it may take longer. He adds that, "Psychiatric patients are shown to have an unusually high
demand for Vitamin C".
British Clinical Physiology (Spring 1964) reports on 40 senile patients "saturated" with Vitamin C all
of whom showed improvement. Doctors in this experiment also concluded that persons with
emotional upsets have a high demand for Vitamin C.
In foods, Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is found in citrus fruits oranges, grapefruits,
lemons, limes. It is also found in strawberries, cantaloupes, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, raw
greens, cabbage and potatoes. Fresh citrus fruit drinks are the best and tastiest way to obtain Vitamin
C, but check with your doctor about proper dosage.
How To "Grow Young With The Years".
With a well-balanced diet and natural foods, it's possible to grow young with the years. We agree with
Nathan W. Schock, M.D., head of the Gerontology Branch of the National Heart Institute, who said:
"Old people show more variety in their ability and physical powers than any other age group. We've
found that the ability to do a job except for one that requires unusual strength or dexterity rarely
depends on age alone. The mental process does not necessarily dim with age. Those who think more
and work more retain their alertness and working ability the longest.
"When we see people who slow down with their years, they are not showing the effect of time itself,
they are suffering from the cumulative effects of a lifetime of traumas that literally have wiped out a
part of the individual. We hope to find a way to avoid such tragedy."
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Perhaps nutritional therapy may well be the way.
Mental Illness And Nutrition.
Millions of Americans the estimate is one out of every 10 have some form of mental or
emotional illness. Each year, close to 3,000,000 people are treated. There are more patients in
hospitals receiving treatment for mental disorders than any other illness. Here are some other facts
that should alert the public to the need for finding some way to help control and relieve this growing
problem:
(1) There are close to one million persons in hospitals with mental illnesses.
(2) Each year, a half-million persons are admitted to public and private mental hospitals for the first
time.
(3) It is said that 5 out of every 10 people treated by private doctors and hospitals show a mental
illness problem.
(4) About one out of every 10 public school children shows emotional upset in need of treatment.
There are 250,000 youngsters with less serious disorders who receive help each year at mental health
clinics. Well over a half-million youngsters are brought before the courts each year for the kinds of
anti-social acts we associate with juvenile delinquency. Many of the youngsters are suffering from
emotional disorders which are reflected in their behaviour. Observers have noted with concern the
incidence of suicide among adolescents.
(5) Outpatient psychiatric clinics in the U.S. serve more persons in the 10 to 19 age group than in any
other age group.
Three Basic Types Of Emotional Upsets.
Emotional upsets may be broadly classified under three basic headings:
(1) The Neuroses.
Less severe, the neuroses may permit a person to go to work daily. But some neuroses are more
disabling than others. The neurotic person suffers from "anxiety", a constant feeling of dread and
indecision, of being unsettled and distracted. This anxiety may manifest itself in depression, phobias,
repetitive thoughts and acts and other such symptoms.
(2) The Psychotic.
The psychotic may be aware of his environment. Although he may be unable to deal with it
satisfactorily, he is able to recognise and identify it. In more severe situations, the psychotic
substitutes an unreal world of his own making and reacts to that safe and secure world rather than to
the real world around him.
(3) Personality Disorders.
These are difficulties in adjustment that manifest themselves in disturbed behaviour, such as we see in
the drug addict, the chronic alcoholic and the delinquent. Hypertension, peptic ulcers and ulcerative
colitis are frequently associated with this type of disorder.
There can be overlapping of these three basic types and a blurring of differences as well. The
physician is the only one who can make the diagnosis, and determine if nutritional therapy can be of
help.
The Nine Advance Warning Signals Of Possible Emotional Upset.
Because emotional upset can sneak up on an individual, it is important to heed Nature's warning
signals. Here is a list suggested by the National Association for Mental Health. Of course, these can
be present in persons who are well, but overworked, tired, or in the midst of a crisis. But if the
symptoms keep recurring, they should be brought to the attention of a physician:
(1) Belligerence. Walking around continuously with a chip on the shoulder, ready to argue or quarrel
at the slightest excuse or no excuse at all.
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