This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More
This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More book cover

This Is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More

Hardcover – August 4, 2020

Price
$19.99
Format
Hardcover
Pages
384
Publisher
Little, Brown Spark
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0316536820
Dimensions
6.45 x 1.5 x 9.55 inches
Weight
1.3 pounds

Description

"It's no surprise that what we eat affects the way we feel, however This Is Your Brain on Food offers valuable and much-needed information on the specific ways that food helps and harms our mental health. This is a must-read for anyone interested in natural ways to improve cognitive function."― Amy Myers, MD, author of The Autoimmune Solution and The Thyroid Connection "In a very real sense, we are our brain's architect in terms of both structure and function. And without question, food may be the most powerful influence on our brain's destiny. Building on leading research, This Is Your Brain on Food provides everything you need to craft a nutritional program focused on optimizing brain health and performance."― David Perlmutter, MD, author of Grain Brain and Brain Wash "In This Is Your Brain on Food , Dr. Uma Naidoo reveals the hidden connections among food, our mood, and the brain. She tells us how the deep suffering from depression, anxiety, dementia, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder, and other conditions can be relieved through dietary changes, all based on solid science. Each chapter takes us on a journey through mental well-being that surveys the market, menu, and spice cabinet. A unique leader in the food-as-medicine field, Dr. Naidoo is a rare combination of Harvard psychiatrist, nutrition specialist, and professional chef -- so when it comes to cooking and eating to improve mental health, nobody does it better. Just reading This Is Your Brain whets your appetite for wellness and gets you in a better mood!"― William W. Li, MD, author of Eat to Beat Disease "Dr. Naidoo brings together her background as a professional chef, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and nutrition expert to take readers to the cutting edge of what we know, and don't know, about the complex connections between our diets and mental health. This is one of the great frontiers in medicine, and having her as a guide will be invaluable for anyone wanting to know more about this critically important and rapidly unfolding topic."― Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, Harvard University, author of Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy "A Harvard psychiatrist, professional chef, and nutrition specialist, Dr. Uma Naidoo has synthesized the current research on food for mental health in the most reliable and digestible way that I've experienced. A must-read if you are looking for what you should or shouldn't do to boost your mood, energy, or concentration. I highly recommend this book."― Daniel G. Amen, MD, founder of Amen Clinics and author of The End of Mental Illness "As a trained chef and psychiatrist, Uma Naidoo is uniquely qualified to dispense food as medicine for the mind/body interface. This Is Your Brain on Food is beautifully prepared, and perfectly served. It is an important book, and as satisfying as a great meal."― David L. Katz, MD, president of True Health Initiative and coauthor of How to Eat "Dr. Uma Naidoo unveils a truth that I wholeheartedly endorse: What we eat affects our brains. Her incisive research and scrumptious recipes are an ode to enhancing mental acuity."― Lisa Mosconi, PhD, director of the Women's Brain Initiative at Weill Cornell and author of The XX Brain "In this charming, extraordinary, and riveting guide to nutritional psychiatry, Dr. Naidoo shares her deep personal insights, broad research findings, and profound wisdom. This Is Your Brain on Food is destined to be a must-read for anyone who wants to care for themselves and their body, to optimize their physical and mental health, and ultimately to live a long and healthy life."― Dr. Lynda Gratton, professor at London Business School and coauthor of The 100-Year Life "If you want to improve your cognitive function, mood, and mental health, read this book!"― Dr. Josh Axe, author of Keto Diet Uma Naidoo, MD is board-certified psychiatrist (Harvard Medical School), professional chef (Cambridge School of Culinary Arts), and nutrition specialist (Cornell University). She is currently the Director of Nutritional and Lifestyle Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), where she consults on nutritional interventions for the psychiatrically and medically ill; Director of Nutritional Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital Academy; and has a private practice in Newton, MA. She also teaches at The Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.Dr. Naidoo speaks frequently at conferences at Harvard, for Goop audiences, the New York City Jewish Community Center (JCC), and Ivy Boston. She blogs for Harvard Health and Psychology Today and completed a unique video cooking series for the MGH Academy which teaches Nutritional Psychiatry using culinary techniques in the kitchen.

Features & Highlights

  • Eat for your mental health and learn the fascinating science behind nutrition with this "must-read" guide from an expert psychiatrist (Amy Myers, MD).
  • Did you know that blueberries can help you cope with the aftereffects of trauma? That salami can cause depression, or that boosting Vitamin D intake can help treat anxiety? When it comes to diet, most people's concerns involve weight loss, fitness, cardiac health, and longevity. But what we eat affects more than our bodies; it also affects our brains. And recent studies have shown that diet can have a profound impact on mental health conditions ranging from ADHD to depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, OCD, dementia and beyond. A triple threat in the food space, Dr. Uma Naidoo is a board-certified psychiatrist, nutrition specialist, and professionally trained chef. In
  • This Is Your Brain on Food
  • , she draws on cutting-edge research to explain the many ways in which food contributes to our mental health, and shows how a sound diet can help treat and prevent a wide range of psychological and cognitive health issues. Packed with fascinating science, actionable nutritional recommendations, and 40 delicious, brain-healthy recipes,
  • This Is Your Brain on Food
  • is the go-to guide to optimizing your mental health with food.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

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Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

What foods effect your brain health. Good, but don't eat GMOs!

"This Is Your Brain on Food" explains what foods can positively or negatively affect your brain health. The author covered depression, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, dementia, brain fog, insomnia, fatigue, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, OCD, and libido. For each problem, she talked about scientific studies using nutrition to treat the issue, cases that she's treated successfully, and advice about what foods should be avoided and what foods help heal the problem. About a fifth of the book was some recipes along with cooking advice for people that are beginners at cooking. Since I'm interested in food as medicine, I've heard some of this advice before. She generally recommended whole food over refined foods and getting your nutrition from food rather than supplements. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who want to try changing their diet to heal. However, she doesn't mention avoiding GMO's even though she does recommend canola oil and soy foods. I strongly suggest anyone eating those foods buy organic or become informed about genetically modified foods.

I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
20 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Food as Brain Medicine

A groundbreaking guide for eating well for mental health from just the right writer. Uma Naidoo, nutritional psychiatrist and professionally trained chef, shows how food is medicine for a range of brain disorders from depression to dementia, OCD to anxiety.

Explains nutrition science and the ability to both prevent and treat brain illness with food. Examples: For PTSD, eat blueberries. For anxiety, up your Vitamin D. Skip salami to avoid depression and caffeine to lessen dread.

I especially loved the author’s personal story about boosting treatment for her cancer and anxiety with a healthful diet. She has such a warm conversational style that I found myself trusting her completely, which enhanced my reading.

While COVID deaths are rising again, we can treat our angst with the meals we eat, using this easy-to-read text as guide. Includes case studies, cheat sheets on what to eat or avoid, plus delicious nutritious recipes. Highly highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 04 Aug 2020

Big hugs to the author, Little, Brown and Company and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#ThisIsYourBrainOnFood #NetGalley
19 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Informative

I enjoyed reading this book. The author offers in-depth explanations for why certain foods/vitamins are essential for combating mental illness. It was enlightening!
4 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Great book

Half way through the book most of this i studied in college so it's a refresher but definitely invaluable information and a great book. The Doc knows her stuff and this book should be read by EVERYONE.
4 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Indispensable is right.

Indispensable is Right. Loved every bit of this book written by a Psychiatrist, nutritionist chef! She’s got all of the bases covered. I heard her interviewed by A Cleveland Clinic doctor who I really respect and knew I’d have to get the book. I’ve already incorporated a lot of this basic food wisdom into my life and was happy to know I’m already doing a lot right; antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds- but she specifically outlines for particular mental
Health diagnosis, what to eat and why; what to avoid and how to give yourself a therapeutic edge that’s totally in your own hands. There’s a lot we can do on our own yo give ourselves the best shot at well being. Loved this book
In its practical guidance advice and approach.
3 people found this helpful