Lesser (Nutrition and Vitamin Therapy) is one of the founders of the orthomolecular psychiatry movement, a group that advocates the use of diet, in addition to vitamins, minerals and herbs, to regulate moods. Here, Lesser and freelance writer Kapklein present individualized nutrition programs that should be followed according to the "brain chemistry type" one falls into. The author designates the six brain chemistry profiles as stoics, guardians, warriors, stars, dreamers and lovers. To determine one's category, Lesser has designed a 60-item questionnaire, a sort of crude personality test that might appear in a magazine quiz. (Acknowledging that this method has not been scientifically proven, Lesser nonetheless presents case studies to back up his categories.) While his diet and supplement programs do differ from type to type (a dreamer should eat more meat than a stoic; a lover needs vitamin A, but a star should take a B complex), Lesser's basic advice is similar for all types. Among other sensible recommendations, he suggests eating five to seven small meals daily, sticking to natural rather than processed foods and giving up white sugar and white flour. (Feb.)
