Self-help guru to speak in Camarillo
Therapist wrote 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus'
By Michelle Knight knight@theacorn.com

John Gray

Well-known author John Gray will speak on the interplay of food, mood and communication in the seminar "When Mars and Venus Collide: Winning the New Battle of the Sexes," 7:30 p.m. Mon., Jan. 22 at the Camarillo Health Care District.

Gray, a certified marriage and family therapist for more than 15 years, is the author of 15 books, including the bestseller "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus." Since its publication in 1992, the book has sold more than 15 million copies in more than 40 languages worldwide.

Gray said by creating lasting passion, romance and better communication in a relationship, along with using nutritional supplements designed specifically for men and women, brain chemicals and hormone levels are brought into balance and stress is reduced.

With people experiencing more stress in the workplace than ever before, the Mars-Venus concept is all the more relevant, he said. The workplace staples of competition, striving for results and facing deadlines all produce stress, which in turn raises the body's testosterone level.

For men, testosterone lowers stress but does not do so for women, Gray said. They rely on another hormone, oxytocin, to relieve stress. Friendship, cooperation and feeling nurtured stimulate oxytocin production in women's bodies, he said. Oxytocin lowers cortisol levels and allows a woman's body to burn fat; conversely, high cortisol levels hamper the body's ability to do so, he said.

As men age their testosterone levels decline, resulting in a decreased interest in sex. That accounts for at least one in five American men over the age of 40 dependent on Viagra for a sex life, Gray said.

He plans to show how proper diet, the appropriate nutritional supplements and certain behaviors, such as good communication in the relationship, can help women and men maintain healthy hormone levels without depending on a pill.

Men from indigenous cultures, who don't eat a diet of processed foods, don't experience a decline in testosterone over time, Gray said.

"You can only make so much progress unless you also look at what we're eating and what we shouldn't be eating, because our food directly affects our hormone supply," Gray said. "Everything that most people take for granted as common knowledge today I point out in my talk is the opposite direction."

Consequently, mood, food, sex and weight loss/gain are all connected, Gray said.

At the seminar, Gray will provide information about the foods and nutritional supplements that fill the distinct hormone needs of men and women. He will also have available a line of supplements he's created for that purpose.

The cost to attend the seminar is $10, and seating is limited. The Camarillo Health Care District is at 3639 E. Las Posas Road, Ste. 160. Call (805) 368-3924 to register.

John Gray has conducted personal growth seminars for more than 30 years. He lives in Northern California with his wife, three daughters and granddaughter.