🧠 Brain Changer | Good Mental Health Diet | Felice Jacka Interview
Feb 25, 2023
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Professor Felice Jacka's love of food led her to question whether what we put in our mouths affects more than our waistline. She discusses the link between diet and mental health, importance of addressing lifestyle factors, a children's book on bugs in our gut, the impact of red meat, and the correlation between food choices and mental health.
A healthy diet can reduce the risk of mental disorders like depression and anxiety.
Improving diet quality and reducing consumption of ultra-processed foods can positively impact mental health by promoting a diverse and thriving gut microbiota.
Maternal diet during pregnancy and a child's diet in the early years can significantly influence their emotional well-being, emphasizing the importance of a high-quality diet for better mental health outcomes in children.
Deep dives
Research in Nutritional Psychiatry
Professor Felice Jacka has been a leading figure in the field of nutritional psychiatry, establishing its importance and impact globally. Her research has shown the link between diet and mental health, exploring how a healthy diet can reduce the risk of mental disorders, including depression and anxiety. Through studies conducted on thousands of women, it was found that a high-quality diet was associated with a lower risk of mental health problems. The research also highlighted the potential benefits of specific foods, such as fermented dairy and red meat in moderation.
The Influence of Diet on Gut Microbiota and Mental Health
The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in mental health. Professor Jacka's research has shown that a healthy diet contributes to a diverse and thriving gut microbiota, which can have positive effects on mental well-being. By improving diet quality and reducing the consumption of ultra-processed foods, there is potential to improve mental health outcomes. Her work has shed light on the connection between diet and gut health, and how this impacts overall mental health.
The Impact of Diet on Children's Mental Health
Professor Jacka's research has also focused on the impact of diet on children's mental health. Studies have revealed that maternal diet during pregnancy and a child's diet in the early years can significantly influence their emotional well-being. The quality of diet, including the consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, has been linked to better mental health outcomes in children and reduced risk of conditions like ADHD.
Understanding the Mediterranean and Brazilian Diets
The Mediterranean diet and the Brazilian guidelines for healthy eating provide valuable insights into the relationship between diet and mental health. These dietary patterns prioritize whole foods, including a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and unprocessed protein sources. These diets emphasize the importance of balance and diversity, which have been shown to have positive effects on mental well-being.
The Need for Holistic Approaches to Mental Health
Professor Felice Jacka stresses the importance of taking a holistic approach to mental health that recognizes the interconnectedness of diet, exercise, sleep, and other lifestyle factors. Making informed choices about nutrition, prioritizing whole foods, and avoiding ultra-processed foods can contribute to improved mental well-being. Promoting healthful dietary habits early in life lays the foundation for better mental health outcomes throughout one's lifespan.
You feel how you eat. Professor Felice Jacka's love of food led her to question whether what we put in our mouths everyday affects more than our waistline. Felice set out on a journey of discovery to change the status quo and uncover the truth through rigorous science. Beginning her PhD in 2005, she examined the association between women's diets and their mental health, focusing on depression and anxiety. What Felice found fundamentally changes the way we think about mental and brain health, and the importance of the nutrition-mental health link. Brain Changer explains how and why we should consider our food as the basis of our mental and brain health throughout our lives. It includes a selection of recipes featuring ingredients beneficial to mental health. It also highlights the practical things we can do to help prevent mental health problems in the first place, and offers strategies for treating these problems if they do arise. This is not a diet book to help you on the weight scales. This is a guide to good habits to save your brain, improve the lives of future generations, and to optimise your mental and brain health at every stage of life.
About the Author
Professor Felice Jacka is director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University in Australia, founder and president of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research, and immediate past-president of the Australian Alliance for the Prevention of Mental Disorders. She holds Honorary Principal Research Fellow appointments at the Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Centre, and the Black Dog Institute. Professor Jacka's current research focuses closely on the links between diet, gut health and mental and brain health.
bestbookbits@gmail.com
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