Description
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.
Literary Redhead (verified owner) –
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
Weston Gardner (verified owner) –
This book is excellent, clear, and actionable. It even includes recipes to put the information into practice, easily. I’m not sure why it hasn’t really been covered before, but I found this material fascinating.
To be able to track how food impacts the brain and eat to support your brain is intriguing, and very well may prove to be life-changing. Highly recommend as a small-investment worth trying for those interested in their cognitive health.
Debbie (verified owner) –
“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.
Amrita Mankani (verified owner) –
As a psychiatrist myself, I wish everyone would read this book! For too long, the contribution of diet to our mental health has been ignored. Dr. Naidoo goes several steps further than the typical “eat vegetables, don’t eat sugar” and provides actionable advice for both general brain health and specific disorders. It’s written in a clear, conversational format that’s easy to follow for both laypeople and those who are more scientifically-minded. I’ve already sent a copy of the book to family, and will be recommending it to my patients as well. This one deserves more than five stars.
Heather (verified owner) –
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON FOOD is a fascinating look at how what we eat impacts our brain and our emotional and mental well being. This isn’t a topic I know much about and I found the material to be engaging even for a layperson. The book is full of well-reasoned explanations and easy to digest takeaway pointers. I enjoyed how the author is both a psychiatrist and nutritionist and her educational approach is multi-faceted. She also shares some of her personal struggles, including a cancer battle, which adds to the narrative. Her warm personality shines through. Especially for a non-fiction book this is highly engaging!
Diana and Alex (verified owner) –
I picked up this book because I’ve been curious about the emerging science linking diet and brain health. I came away with so much powerful knowledge, and an unexpected bonus: recipes to try! This book is really nicely organized across specific areas of mental health, so you can quickly navigate to the sections of most interest first. The cheat sheets and summaries are particularly helpful. Highly recommended!
rasha (verified owner) –
Loved the book and the information it provides. I have highlighted a lot of stuff so far, I might need another marker. It seems that our food culture have to change and people with anxiety and depression have to rethink their diets!
Kyle B (verified owner) –
Powerful information that can help change your life when executed wisely. I wish this school of psychiatric was more ubiquitous. Perfect addition to a treatment plan for a variety of mental health challenges and overall wellbeing. Must read!
Noirgirl<span class="a-icon a-profile-verified-badge"><span class="a-profile-verified-text"></span></span> (verified owner) –
A really good book by a nutritionist/psychiatrist on how diet can improve various mental health conditions. This book is very science-based and contains great detail on how a variety of foods affect the brain, neurotransmitters and more. Though it’s packed with scientific content, it’s written very accessibly for those who don’t have an extensive science background. The book has full chapters explaining the science, followed by “cheat sheet” lists of foods to add and avoid for a variety of conditions including depression, anxiety, PTSD, fatigue, ADD, Parkinson’s, and more. The book is also full of a lot of delicious-sounding recipes which I will definitely try.
If you have any brain health issues, this is an extremely valuable resource. Even if you are just trying to hack your health to make your brain as strong and capable as possible – this book has tons of awesome science-based ideas. Like chickpeas. Who knew about chickpeas? Highly recommended!
Thanks to Uma Naidoo, NetGalley and Little, Brown & Co. for the review copy of this awesome resource!
Fable (verified owner) –
Dr. Naidoo is uniquely qualified to write this book: she not only trained as a psychiatrist, but also attended culinary school and studied nutrition. She discusses how the gut is intricately involved with what goes on in our brains—and how what we eat is important to this “gut-brain romance.” Each chapter reviews case studies of the particular condition (depression, anxiety, OCD, dementia, bipolar disorder, PTSD, schizophrenia, ADHD, fatigue, insomnia, and libido) and makes nutritional recommendations based on both studies and her own experience treating patients. (I especially liked that each study specifically mentioned the name of the lead investigator, and was pleased to see that many were women.) At the end of the book, she guides us through what might be needed in the beginning kitchen, recaps the foods which are basic to a healthy diet, and offers some recipes to incorporate them. I read a lot of books on nutrition, but this one absolutely stands out for its accessible writing style, clear organization, and invaluable information. Highly recommended.
Katlady (verified owner) –
With our being, as Dr. Naidoo puts it, in a “mental health mess” in our country, and with COVID-19 making it worse, this book couldn’t be more timely. Our appreciation of the close relationship between our bodies and minds is long overdue, and this book helped me understand the science underlying it. The application to particular conditions was helpful, and the recipes made the information user-friendly. If there was ever a time to dedicate ourselves to taking care of our whole selves through our food, it is now!
Claudia S (verified owner) –
WOW- this is a special book. Highly recommended!!
wine lover (verified owner) –
Organized largely by symptoms or disorders (depression, anxiety, etc.), This is Your Brain on Food presents a broad overview of the effects of dietary pattens, specific foods, and nutrients on brain function and mood. What it lacks in depth, it makes up for in breadth. I personally prefer a similar book, Brain Changer by Felice Jacka, an Australian researcher who is one of the leading researchers in the field, as it goes into these topics in more depth.
Trudy Scott, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution (verified owner) –
Dr. Uma Naidoo’s big bold message is this: “Until we solve nutritional problems, no amount of medication and psychotherapy is going to be able to stem the tide of mental issues in our society” and I wholeheartedly agree!
This is a wonderful book that inspires, explains the power of nutritional psychiatry and provides motivation for going back to eating real whole foods. I love that it is research-based and practical!
A few highlights of some of the research I enjoyed reading about: the fermented foods/social anxiety research; the vitamin D and anxiety 2019 diabetes study; the 2018 dietary polyphenols/ADHD study (I’m fascinated by the fact that polyphenols “act as a low-dose toxin that trains the body to mount an immune response in a process called hormesis” – there are many geeky gems like this in the book); vitamin B1 for binge eating/alcohol abuse.
On the practical side here are some of the foods Dr. Naidoo recommends: unflavored kefir to make a creamy dressing; egg yolks, salmon, mushrooms as sources of vitamin D; getting polyphenols from berries and other fruit, vegetables, extra virgin olive oil; chamomile tea for sleep (there are some cautions if you’re on a blood thinner prescription or going to have surgery); delicious Golden Milk recipe with tips on how to use turmeric with black pepper.
I also loved reading about her memories of cooking with her Pinetown granny and one of her favorite comfort foods – a yummy lentil soup recipe called dal in south Indian cuisines. It’s a great source of fiber and plant-based protein and is very affordable. And really healthy when cooked with vegetables and spices like mustard seeds, ginger, garlic and turmeric. She shares a tip to improve the flavors – making tadka.
We do have a few professional differences of opinion that I feel I should mention: I am not in favor of canola oil; I have a difficult time extrapolating high-fat diets in rat studies to concerns about saturated fat consumption in humans (given the nature of the rat chow in many of these studies); I’m more concerned with portion-size of carbs than I am with portion-size of healthy fats (and typically recommend full-fat coconut milk, and chicken and turkey with skin-on);I find grass-red meat to be beneficial for my clients with anxiety and mood issues; many of my anxious clients cannot tolerate any caffeine and I consider 14 alcoholic drinks a week for men and 7 alcoholic drinks a week for women to be excessive; I prefer stovetop and oven cooking to using a microwave.
Overall it’s a wonderful book that I highly recommend if:
– you are new to nutritional psychiatry and the power of food
– you are a seasoned foodie and want to geek out on mechanisms and the science
– you want to learn about foods and nutrients specifically for depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD and insomnia (all science-based)
– you are a practitioner and want to learn and share a wonderful book with your patients or clients
– you want to be inspired and motivated to eat real whole food
It’s a book I’ve shared with my community of anxious women and with colleagues working as nutritionists and psychologists – and will continue to share and refer back to.
Kandarp Shah (verified owner) –
This is Your Brain On Food by Dr. Uma Naidoo, is a game changer. If a psychiatrist had a prescription pad for “food as medicine” to treat some of the most common mental health conditions like anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, OCD, etc this book would be the prescriber’s training guide. Each chapter highlights a specific condition and digs deeper into targeted foods; some common like Avacado, Dark Chocolate, and some not so common like Saffron. Did you know Saffron is an effective anti-depressant and also has libido boosting properties? I did not. I mean that’s like killing two birds with one stone as anti-depressants often reduce or interfere with sex drive. The book also has a chapter on vitamins and minerals from food sources targeted specifically to boost brain health. If you are interested in anything pertaining to brain health, this book deserves an important spot on your bookshelf. Read up!
Grace (verified owner) –
I love this book! Especially the recipes!!!Dr Naidoo’s book has me thinking about how foods make me feel, physically. I’ve been working very hard on my mental health…but after reading this I know that my work needs to include a close look at what I’m consuming, BOTH, emotionally and physically!!!Her writing conveys a kindness that I need when I’m making meaningful changes in my life. At 50, I know that I cannot shame myself into making healthier choices, but I can educate myself on the benefits of making (or not) making them!I recommend this book to anyone who wants to feel better!
FeRn (verified owner) –
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.
Erin K (verified owner) –
I read allll the books on mental health. As a certified nutrition coach, I am fascinated by all things gut/brain. This book will become one of my most-referenced in my library, I am sure of it. I love how it’s divided by diagnosis, and there are practical nutrition suggestions as well as supplement ideas. The recipes are all an amazing bonus as well. I highly recommend, whether you are new to the idea of food for mood or if you’ve been studying up on this for years like I have!
Diane M Pedrosa (verified owner) –
This Is Your Brain On Food is a very readable treatise on how food effects the mental and physical body. It starts with medical information that isn’t overly scholarly and moves into how we can eat better to impact our mental and physical health.
I especially appreciated the chapter on the kitchen, simple cooking tools, shopping and recipes that for the most part, use few and easily acquired ingredients.
Recommended reading.
Kelly Inch (verified owner) –
Love this book!! This is such a beautifully written and designed book to meet you where you’re at with your mental health. Great for the beginners that are new to cooking. Gentle to the beginners that are new to healthy eating. Motivating and in powering to people to people like me that want to help loved ones and myself to improve brain health to live proactive rather than reactive to challenges.The book laid out so that each chapter is almost a book in itself making it easy to reference back or just read what area you want to improve. Dedicating a section to kitchen setup and basic tools you make cooking easier, more enjoyable and not so intimidating. Also includes a menu plan with delicious easy to follow recipes. I have a list of the ones I want to try! I’m hoping I can encourage my kids to read, until then I will implement what I can when I’m cooking for them.I also follow the dr on Instagram and love the insights she offers on social media.Thank you Dr. Nairobi, I’m blessed to have found you!
Mellissa Westbrooks (verified owner) –
A very eye opening and fascinating book! Well written and backed by science. I also love that the author includes recipes and tips for cooking. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for adjunct therapies for a variety of mental illnesses. As a nurse and someone who has experienced depression herself, I am a firm believer in nutrition and not just the western model of a pill for every ill. Nutrition education should be mandatory for every citizen! This would greatly transform the healthcare industry as we know it. The vast majority of illnesses are lifestyle choice related and primarily diet related.
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
I’m working my way through this book, mainly because I promised my mother I would. She is a therapist, and health nut. She highly recommend this book. I wrote this review for her, because I know she never would. I dedicate this review to the best mother and therapist I know!
Stef (verified owner) –
Highly recommended for all readers. Very easy to understand written in a clear and positive manner. Life hacks that we should all implement in our day to day living. Eat well and feel well. Evidence grounded in science with immediate, tangible results!
Tarheels (verified owner) –
I’m fascinated by foods and how they can heal the body. When I plan to alter eating habits, I focus on increasing the healthiest foods, and then naturally, I eat less of the stuff I shouldn’t. Dr. Uma Naidoo’s book fits perfectly with this stance. Dr. Naidoo is a psychiatrist, nutritionist, AND chef. I’m not sure I’ve “met” one before, but I’m so grateful I have now. I’ve read about foods and wellness, but not as much about food and the mental health aspects of wellness.
What foods can help take the edge off anxiety? Or help with OCD, sleep, ADHD, depression, dementia, and Parkinson’s Disease? Not only is the book filled with science, it also has some super yummy recipes.
This Is Your Brain on Food is a book I excitedly read from cover to cover, absorbing all I could, and one I will reference often to revisit foods I need to add into my diet.
I received a gifted copy.
Polaris (verified owner) –
Dr. O’Bryan does a great job of tying autoimmune diseases and all those aches and pains back to what we eat and the microbiome. His explanations are very clear and his examples and case studies show that we can turn around autoimmune diseases. Best of all he explains how we’re all on the road to an autoimmune disease with our SAD (standard American diet) food choices. He offers recipes, menu plans and encouragement. Definitely worth the read and to share with loved ones.
Margaret K McGonegle (verified owner) –
I read this because of the doctor’s credentials. It’s important to me that food advice is evidence based. I loved the case studies. It’s straight forward and has already made a difference for my condition. I’d love a follow up book of recipes.
Hala khraishi (verified owner) –
Great info basic
Michelle Schacherer (verified owner) –
This book has you covered so that along with therapy and sometimes medication, you can use nutrition to help your brain heal faster. The author goes over the most common mental disorders and how your gut and what you eat can help or make symptoms worse.
TonyStark (verified owner) –
The book provides actionable advice for both general brain health and specific disorders.
The author is a nutritional psychiatrist and serves as the director of nutritional & lifestyle psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School and trained at the Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program, and completed a consultation liaison fellowship at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She also studied nutrition, and she also graduated from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts as a professional chef.
The book is written in a clear, conversational format that’s easy to follow. I’ve already sent a copy of the book to my sister.
acdaccache (verified owner) –
This book was a game changer for me. It has given me my life back. Highly recommend.
Amy (verified owner) –
This is a great book with such good information. Really pleased with it.
Ami (verified owner) –
As I listened to this audiobook, I kept my grocery curbside pickup app open and just kept adding all the stuff she said to my cart. Now when I get my order tomorrow, I’ll be all set with a fridge full of nutritious and interesting food, some of which I’ve never even tried before!! Very excited to continue my journey with this new knowledge to sustain and guide me.
Anonymous (verified owner) –
I have met Dr. Naidoo and found this book to be an extension of what I know of her….it is a combination of well-described clinical knowledge from a very bright woman, but also includes compassionately told personal anecdotes and descriptions of real people which make the clinical facts more real. Once one has the basic understanding of Dr. Naidoo’s description of the gut/brain correlation , one can leaf through the book and hone in on a specific illness and suggested foods that may help alleviate symptoms. The recipes at the end of the book are arranged per specific condition -but honestly all the recipes sound delicious, are not complex and are very healthy!! A excellent book to keep on the shelf not for only clinical reference and understanding, but for the delicious sounding, uncomplicated recipes!
Susan Sherrer (verified owner) –
This book really makes you aware of how food really does effect you!
L A Boston (verified owner) –
Thank you, Dr. Uma Naidoo, for this wonderful resource! I have used the book personally, at home, and have also suggested it to many of my friends and family, as well as to clients in my psychology practice. The book is divided into logical sections that have direct applications for mood, anxiety, sleep, ADHD, libido, etc, and the material is easy to access and apply, with reference to really solid empirical data.
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
Cannot wait for the movie to come out. It’s going to be action PACKED man!
Linda A. (verified owner) –
LOVED THIS READ! I’ve been independently studying the CB Neuroscience for the last 4 years and this book helped highlight more and more that plant-based living is the key to a long, healthy and disease free life.
Tucked in the Triangle (verified owner) –
To the point, simple explanation for how our eating habits are formed.
squareshotphotos (verified owner) –
very well written and informative book for anyone curious on getting a deeper education regarding our dietary habits and the way we operate.
Maryellen (verified owner) –
This book provides a wealth of knowledge regarding brain/psychological health and diet. Written by a Nutritional psychiatrist, she knows her stuff and explains the science behind what we eat and how it affects us in an easily understandable manner
Filipe (verified owner) –
Although a book does not substitute regular visits to a medician and a nutritionist, this is a great read on the “health” subject. It has good reminders and interesting tips, besides mouth-watering recipes.
Healthy exercising along a balanced routine, appropriate rest and nice eating habits are crucial to prevention and treatment of adverse conditions and eventual diseases. These can also build resilience and boost individual lifestyles and community’s well-being.
I think that fasting is also a good experience, sometimes, as it helps me to value the food I eat and gives both body and mind a different condition.
Definitely, a nice reading.
Piya Verma (verified owner) –
Amazing so good to finally get good information about gut health
Carola (verified owner) –
Great book with a lot of information, useful charts and recipes. Easy to understand and well written
Oswaldo Cardenas (verified owner) –
It’s a book of YOUR BRAIN ON FOOD!
NUFF’ SAID!
Wife loves it… Very informative!
r (verified owner) –
Certainly some other options to look at more seriously as the future unfolds. Would like to see other professionals after adequate and customary testing diligently aspire to mine out other possible sources of a problem as opposed to treating symptoms and putting patients on the usual treatment conveyor belt.
Delana Wilkinson (verified owner) –
I suffer from OCD/anxiety and never realized how poor my diet was — filled with processed foods and barely eating anything that benefitted my gut other than the occasional yogurt. I kept hearing about Dr. Uma Naidoo on various podcasts that I listened to, and really liked what she had to say when she was a featured guest on those podcasts. My boyfriend gifted me with her book for Valentine’s Day, and instantly, it became something that we read together. Every week, we were at the grocery store making the swaps that Dr. Naidoo recommended. Now, we eat almost an entirely clean, healthy, non-processed food diet and both agree that we feel the BEST that we have ever felt.My flare-ups with my OCD and anxiety are less frequent and when they do occur, they are more manageable. My boyfriend does not suffer from any mental illness other than the occasional stress, and even he has seen major benefits in overall cognitive function and stress manageability. It’s crazy — when we do have the occasional processed foods back-to-back, our bodies instantly remind us of how bad it is for us and we even feel groggy/lethargic… Which reminds us IMMEDIATELY to get back on track to our wonderful healthy diet!I recommend this book to almost everyone I meet because it has changed our lives THAT much. Thank you, Dr. Uma Naidoo, for this incredible book.
bret stetka (verified owner) –
A trove of information on how what we eat can influence our mental well-being. Dr. Naidoo’s book is approachable and easy to read – it’s scientific without getting bogged down in the scientific data. I would recommend to anyone interested in a primer on brain health and nutrition.
Chuck (verified owner) –
Very comprehensive coverage of nutritional support for the various mental disorders.
Bruce (verified owner) –
Right now the wife is reading it. She seems to like it. I’ll read it next. She says she’s already found some good information and that it’s worth the cost.
Rachel Seideman (verified owner) –
This book is a MUST read! Food is medicine and this book proves just that! If you’ve ever struggled with mental or physical ailments and are curious about the role that diet and lifestyle plays- definitely consider reading this 🙂
Eric (verified owner) –
Recommended if you want a better understanding of how gut health is important for brain function. Easy to understand. Great food sources listed and recipes. Been incorporating more probiotics into my nutrition plan and have noticed positive effects.
ASN (verified owner) –
Really enjoyed this quick glimpse into the super complicated field of nutritional psychiatry! Dr. Naidoo does a great job of breaking it all down in a digestible format and I’ve suggested it to several of my friends who struggle with anxiety and other mental health conditions.
Jessie Kropf (verified owner) –
This books looks like a good read but when I received it there are black and orange marks all over the cover. Really disappointed…it was supposed to be a christmas present for someone and it doesn’t look as pretty.
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
Bien escrito y fácil de seguir y entender. Para ponerle un pero: se estructura en patologĂas, y esto hace que parte del contenido se repita. Si hubiese un capĂtulo introductorio con los fundamentos básicos sobre nutrientes y funcionamiento del organismo más detallado, se facilitarĂa la lectura despuĂ©s, y se reducirĂan páginas ya que para patologĂas sĂłlo harĂa falta mencionar las pequeñas diferencias entre ellas. Pero está genial como base para trabajar el cambio alimentario
DomDebene (verified owner) –
Many people feel helpless when experiencing a mental illness and often feel like going on medications to re-regulate oneself is the only option to getting better. Dr. Uma Naidoo does a fantastic job in this book of offering new, refreshing perspectives on how one can combat mental illness without relying strictly on medication. Rather, she provides a holistic approach to individuals struggling with mental illness by stating the importance of mental health services, medication (if needed) AND (the focus of her book and less talked about method in the Western World), changing ones diet to incorporate foods that naturally provide the nutrients and vitamins we need for a healthy and positive gut-brain connection. Whether you work in the mental health field or not, this book is truly eye-opening and fascinating to read. I am certain that it will change what you thought you already knew about mental illness and how our bodies work. 10/10 worth the read and highly recommend it to all!
Candace K. Meinders (verified owner) –
The book was for me as I have been diagnosed as having a mental illness. I liked reading the book and took many copies of the recipes. I shared the book with at least four others and feel it is good reading for those in my company as many co-workers also have a mental illness.
Juanita (verified owner) –
Great info!
Mary Jo Di Marco (verified owner) –
In one week after incorporating these foods and eliminating others I can’t believe the difference it’s made in my level of energy. I already had a healthy diet but this information helped me take it to the next level. It’s awesome to feel good.
JenLNose (verified owner) –
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!
purplecardinal (verified owner) –
Great reading to get healthy.
blayne7 (verified owner) –
I really learned a lot from this book, and I recommend it to everyone.
Taxes in Texas (verified owner) –
Although by a different author, this book closely follows the same structure used by Perlmutter (review on the book jacket) in his books on “nutritionism”. This one is written in a more pragmatic perspective for the average consumer trying to understand nutrition.
Very educational but would benefit the reader if the sources of funding for the numerous studies were disclosed.
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
Read about this book in the NYTimes. It is so informative. I have recommended to several friends. Helpful, easy to understand, useful. Highly recommend.
A.Nelson (verified owner) –
Feed your gut to have a solid mind. Clear your head to have a healthy gut. They go hand in hand. This book is awesome and everyone should have one!
Louis Gonzalez (verified owner) –
This book is very informative and helpful!
A.D. Talbot<span class="a-icon a-profile-verified-badge"><span class="a-profile-verified-text"></span></span> (verified owner) –
Doctors gave me a death sentence. This book saved my life. I have applied Dr. Naidoo’s ideas in my own journey as chronicled in my own book: LAST POWER: Road to Synchronicity.
A.D. Talbot
Chriss Larson (verified owner) –
Really easy read with great information, there’s a reference on cover for several mental health conditions, but this book is for everyone with a brain! Highly recommend this life style of eating and knowledge is game changer… the changes are easily implemented no big changes big rewards I suggest give if go and notice the immediate good feeling you get but these simple recipes.
Cleopatra Memphis (verified owner) –
This is an excellent book on nutrition. I highly recommend getting yours today!
Carol K. (verified owner) –
You don’t have to read the entire book according to the author.
Now that I’ve read what I’ve needed I’m ready to start making changes with my nutrition to help myself and I hope to improve my cognitive function and mental health as well as my children’s.
Thank you Dr. Uma Naidoo for writing, “This Is Your Brain On Food An Indispensable Guide To The Surprising Foods That Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, And More. I first listened to your book from my library then bought a copy for myself and sent one to my adult son. I believe this will be most helpful and life changing to me as I’ve been struggling on medication for over 7 years now and am always looking for ways to get off of medication or take less because I take too much. I also hope in this new way of eating my body will start absorbing more vitamins and minerals than it has been in the last 7 years as I’ve been deficient in several even though I have tried to eat them and supplement them. Now I’m getting a shot for one. I just don’t want to take so many pills anymore or disabilities. I want a sense of normalcy back into my life. I want to love life and live my life to its fullest again!
JW (verified owner) –
I would give this book a 5/5 but it arrived with a rip in the cover, it has stains on it and it’s dirty. Definitely not what I would expect from a new book.
Debra McNeff (verified owner) –
I found this book so interesting and informative! The food we eat is important to more than just the body but also the brain and Uma explains these correlations so well!
Cheryl Giles (verified owner) –
The story in unique, interesting. Use of words tasty in my mind, a poetic, melodious bent. Nicely descriptive to build moving pictures in your head as you read. Very fun! I have been checking for and waiting for book 3 with much anticipation.
Martial (verified owner) –
A thorough, yet easy to understand, explanation of why we should eat what we should eat. Recipe and diet tips included.
Greenfixit (verified owner) –
I’ve been devouring this book. The connection between the brain and gut is explained clearly with specific positive and negative effects of known foods and additives on mental health. Separate chapters for nine disorders are each thoroughly presented. Medications and therapy are always vital components that combine with nutrition to provide a fully effective mental health program.
Daniel Pesut (verified owner) –
Insights and action steps to support mental and physical health through intentional food choices! Recipes to support strategies for behavior change !
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
Best book I have read in a long time. So much information. It is easy to understand. After each chapter, the important foods to have am avoid are broken down. There are even some recipes.
William F. Sullivan (verified owner) –
the foods to avoid
Jennifer (verified owner) –
Dr. Naidoo writes a thorough and well researched book for the lay reader. She stresses the gut brain connection’s importance in mental health.
The more common disorders needs are carefully highlighted in terms of nutrients and food. This arms the reader with information rather than stigmatizing a condition. The recipes in the back are healthy and yummy!
J (verified owner) –
Great read for me since gluten has been an issue for me.
R. J. Zellaha (verified owner) –
This is what I would call a mostly filler book, it’s full of anecdotal stories that support the things going forward,
it holds back on a lot of important information that’s in many other books, that this basically just recycles and it’s very repetitive,
where other books that
provide the same information and more detailed information and more information that she’s completely left out,
those other books are roughly the same size with more information
,because of this now I’m guessing she’s writing for people who read books but don’t actually study when they read most of the time,
that’s my guess, I don’t know, they got her to sell a bunch of books and if it gets you to do the right thing who the f*** gives a s*** what I have to say
I know I don’t
but I would be lying if I didn’t say what’s the truth:
there are far better books on this
so if you have read this, you’ve probably read the others and know this,
or if you haven’t, get out there and read, she’s leaving out a ton of information, in place of recipes buying kitchen items and here’s the story of this person who did person things and they had person reactions and then we eventually worked on the person and the person became better… the end, repeat repeat repeat, and also weirdly have no sources for the “recent study” that always goes unnamed, dispite the wonderful sources on everything else….
I learned what to look for in my writing, so thank you author.
Ouzola Customer (verified owner) –
I listened to this during a 2 day interstate car trip. I couldn’t get anything else to load so I was basically a captive audience. I’m so glad that I “read” it. It has changed the way I eat and I just feel better.Re: her recipes; I have the Chia Seed Pudding with Frozen Fruit & Nuts on rotation along with the Sardine, tomato, lemon snack in lettuce leaves (I use endive leaves which I like even better).The information does get repetitive but that is because it’s set up to address your specific condition and you can just flip to that part of the book Much of the advice addresses more than one condition.Definitely worth a read and the audio book is read quite competently by the author.