What If It’s Not Luck, But Lithium, That Makes This New Year’s Dish So Special?

Every New Year’s Day, black-eyed peas show up on plates across the country as a symbol of luck, prosperity, and fresh beginnings. But there may be more wisdom in this old tradition than we ever realized. Long before lithium became a prescription drug, small amounts of it were quietly present in our food and water — and black-eyed peas happen to be one of the richest natural dietary sources.

That’s what makes this humble New Year’s staple so intriguing. In his book, The Promise of Lithium, Dr. Thomas Guttuso explains how low-dose lithium, in amounts far below pharmaceutical levels, may play an important role in long-term brain health, mood stability, and neuroprotection in both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.

It raises an interesting question: were traditional foods like black-eyed peas doing more than bringing “good luck”? They may have been gently nourishing the brain all along — a topic we’ll be exploring more deeply in an upcoming podcast conversation with Dr. Guttuso. 

What Form of Lithium Is Best?

I like this one https://amzn.to/3MHKXMg — it’s a safe, low-dose OTC option that aligns with the kind of trace lithium the research points to. It’s exciting to think that such a simple mineral might help support healthy brain function over time!

NOTE: People with kidney disease or taking diuretic meds should check with their doctor before taking OTC lithium. 

Resources:

Guttuso, Thomas J., Jr., MD. The Promise of Lithium: How a Generic Dietary Supplement Can Impact Mental Health, Aging, and Longevity. New York: Lioncrest Publishing, 2019.

Nunes MA, Viel TA, Buck HS. Microdose lithium treatment stabilized cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Curr Alzheimer Res. 2013 Jan;10(1):104-7. doi: 10.2174/1567205011310010014. PMID: 22746245.