By Nathaniel Thompson
Editor’s Note: This article reflects the author’s research and perspective on nutrition, digestion, serotonin, and metabolic health. Readers should consult qualified healthcare professionals before making significant dietary changes or beginning any supplement regimen.
I am sending out a post on a nutritional perspective with broad and profound health implications. Some of our biggest health and psychological challenges are wrapped up in low serotonin or why we are low in serotonin (lack of proper digestion). The solutions are rather simple, but often demonized by the mainstream. Despite the overfed status of most in modern society, the stark reality is that most are malnourished and toxic. This leads to a host of mechanisms that lower serotonin and upset digestion.
Although everyone should know this information, Rabbis, Noahide leaders, and those in Kiruv particularly should be aware of the ramifications here as these people will likely come across countless situations in counseling and working with the public where people seeking direction are spiraling mentally and physically. This post can educate you on how to teach them how to halt that downward spiral on the physical front to support their mental health so that proper spiritual counseling can proceed.
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, autism, cancer, dementia, mental health issues, and countless other problems are continuing to progress that serotonin and digestion are intricately involved with the genesis or progression of these issues in some way. Not to simplify that these are the only factors in resolving these crisis, but this is a broad growing deficiency epidemic that other factors will not proceed until these have been addressed. COVID kind of accentuated a spark in focusing on mental health and constant public service announcements, talk shows, and other avenues. One can’t discount the spiritual aspect in generating these issues, but a serotonin deficiency should not be overlooked while the spiritual fundamentals are addressed.
Another aspect of the importance here is that Jewish and Noahide groups have plenty of financial issues to deal with. A vast amount of money can be saved here to put to other causes. Medical debt has long been a leading cause of bankruptcy and nations that have nationalized care systems are struggling to keep up with the increasing demand in a cost effective way. Things have changed. I once wrote about a doctor mom who went to summer camp with her daughter. She wanted to relive those great camp moments with her daughter. Her dream was shattered when in the morning she didn’t see kids running out to enjoy nature as the sun rose, but lined up at the camp dispensary tent to get their daily asthma inhalers, insulin shots, antibiotics, steroids, psych meds, etc. Autism isn’t the only growing childhood issue, normal kids are not normal anymore with obesity, diabetes, asthma, and cancer wreaking havoc here too.
Recently on Meaningful People the Frum Health Club was featured. Mendel’s father died when he was 38. This sent him into his own health spiral and he wound up being diagnosed with GERD and prescribed acid control medications which the doctor said he would be on for the rest of his life. In taking them for a bit he found that the problems continued and he eventually stopped taking them and changed his diet and lifestyle instead. He became religious and started the Frum Health Club to encourage other Jews to take control of their health. He mentions the Blue Zones book which is trying to uphold the Mediterranean Diet low cholesterol/saturated fat approach. Unfortunately there were a lot of issues in the portrayal of the book from the true reality in these places and the Mediterranean Diet was basically an offshoot of Ancel Keys’ theory to support a high carbohydrate low fat diet. Again, they didn’t follow the populace, they made a diet that had some of the same foods as the region and wined and dined reporters and celebrities by flying them out and having them popularize the diet and Keys’ theory. Not to diminish what he is doing, but the healthcare system, as he said, had a need for GLP1 drugs since they have failed for decades in the obesity epidemic. They have constantly touted a calories in calories out, if you aren’t losing weight it is because you haven’t exercised, starved, or cut your calories enough approach. Mendel was able to get control of his health at a young age and get rid of his GERD issue with following a healthier lifestyle and diet, it doesn’t work for everyone though.
I too read the Blue Zones, but I found Weston Price and his travels in the 1930s that was much more scientifically backed. Ancel Keys’ did his studies soon after WWII when Europe was devastated and people were not back to their regular high fat diet, some even during Lent in a high Roman Catholic populace, of course they aren’t going to be eating meat. Researchers have commented that the French Paradox was not the only high fat low heart disease paradox location. The French Paradox wasn’t so much of a paradox that they made it out to be. Heart disease rates plummeted in the world wars just as the sugar consumption plummeted during those years. I have linked an interview with Mary Ruddick below as she takes on some of the issues with the Blue Zones portrayal with Dr. Berry with the places she has been to. Another factor of the Blue Zones is their water. Dr. Crouse details OSA (ortho silica acid) water in his book Silica Water, which just so happens to be in the Blue Zones. Basically this helps with detoxification and tissue structure. Dr. Bill Schindler has also raised issues with the Blue Zones portrayal in interviews and has a book as well, Eat Like a Human. Hopefully the Frum Health Club and other Jewish health organizations don’t get taken in by the lies that healthcare has succumbed to. Dr. Noakes was a marathon runner and his “heart healthy” high carb diet began to take him down with diabetes even with a high energy expenditure rate.
Like so much in the world these days, disinformation for many various reasons is common. Hopefully the following post can shed some light on how some of these things have come about that have shaped the societal understanding of how we are supposed to fuel the body that Hashem has given us.
Justice, justice shall you pursue, so that you will live…
WATCH: Are We Too Afraid to Talk Honestly About Obesity?
WATCH: BLUE ZONE Lies with Mary Ruddick (They Eat What??) 2026
