Ep. 173 How The Food You Eat Boosts Your Mood & Mental Health (and the Connection Your Gut Health Plays) with Dr. Uma Naidoo

I am delighted to have Dr. Uma Naidoo joining me on the podcast today! Dr. Naidoo is an awarded board-certified psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, professional chef, nutrition specialist, and author of the recently released This is Your Brain on Food: An Indispensable Guide to the Surprising Foods that Fight Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, ADHD, and More. She was featured in the Wall Street Journal, ABC News, Harvard Health Press, Goop, and many others. Dr. Naidoo has a special interest in the impact of food on mood and other mental health conditions. 

There were several strong influences in Dr. Naidoo’s early life. She grew up in a loving, nurturing home with a large extended South Asian family. Rather than going to pre-school, she decided to stay at home with her maternal grandmother, who was a wonderful cook. Dr. Naidoo used to help her grandmother pick fresh vegetables from the garden and prepare meals, and her grandparents taught her meditation and yoga. Her mother was a medical student, and she had many aunts and uncles who were physicians, so there was a lot of talk about science and nutrition in their home. 

In this episode, Dr. Naidoo talks about food and lifestyle choices that can boost your mood and improve mental and emotional health. Tune in today to hear our fascinating conversation! 

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

• Dr. Naidoo’s background and her journey from medical school to becoming a chef and a nutrition-focused psychiatrist.
• What caused Dr. Naidoo to have an “aha” moment.
• The connection between gut health and mental health.
• Foods that tend to create the most problems with mental health.
• Why do you need to read food labels and pay close attention to your food choices?
• The clinical differences between men and women as our brains and bodies get older.
• Trauma can happen in many different ways.
• Foods that can impact libido.
• Foods that can positively impact brain health.
• What fiber does in the gut?
• Some lifestyle changes could positively impact your mental and emotional health.

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Books mentioned:

Brain Wash by David Perlmutter