What should I do?

Q: I read your book. My symptoms are the same as your patient, George. I’ve been down for a long time, I crave carbs and tend to gain weight, and I’m tired most of the time for no known reason. What do you think I should do?

A: I cannot give individual advice over the Internet, but I can make general comments. First of all, a person with your symptoms should consult a physician and have a throrough physical examination. Many underlying medical conditions -- for example, hypothyroidism, excessive adrenal function, and certain tumors, to mention only a few -- masquerade as depression. If an underlying general medical condition cannot be detected, chromium picolinate can be taken under the supervisions of a health care provider.