Natural Highs by Holford and Cass

I was interested in this book because I felt a healthy pick me up might be nice, and curiosity got the better of me. I don't know what I'd expected, but the recommendations are to take an awful lot of expensive supplements.

Kava, NADH and S-ame are allegedly herbal mood enhancers, which might be worth a try, a powerful multi-vitamin and mineral should ensure you're not blue because of nutritional deficiencies. Omega 3 is a recommendation that I include in my daily diet anyway.

But some of the supplements designed to lift your mood and help you sleep, are things I've tried - some in higher doses than the book suggests - and I found they had absolutely no effect on my ability to sleep at all and I didn't notice an improved mood either. This leaves me feeling skeptical about the effectiveness of the other recommendations, as they're all accompanied by very grand claims.

I felt there might be more value in some of the practical approaches towards the back of the book, to engage in mood boosting activities, such as listening to uplifting music, or doing yoga. However, overall I felt that for someone looking for a guaranteed high, this book could be disappointing. You might spend a lot of money on supplements and not feel you get a benefit from it. But who knows... you might get a fantastic high!

ps. It's also written primarily for recovering addicts.... which seemed a bit niche to me.